Historic Districts Council

THE ZIPPER- Montclair Film Festival

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:30:12 -0400

Montclair Film Festival, where the film THE ZIPPER is playing Saturday 5/4 at 12pm

Director Amy Nicholson looks at the legendary Zipper ride in Coney Island to study real estate wars in New York City. Filled with colorful personalities, the film “will resonate with anybody who has watched some quirky favorite place be demolished by developers who don’t appreciate its charm” (Hollywood Reporter).

http://zipperfilm.com/#

Preservation Greenpoint- Fading ads of Greenpoint tour

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:01:23 -0400

Walking tour and book signing: Sunday, May 5, 11:30am (book signing), 12:00 (tour

Join Preservation Greenpoint and author/photographer Frank Jump on a walking tour of the fading ads of Greenpoint. For nearly 20 years, Jump has been documenting the painted ads of New York City as they quickly disappear, and his book Fading Ads of New York City was published in 2011. Jump will offer a glimpse into Greenpoint’s commercial advertising history through the neighborhood’s remnant fading ads. Please check Preservation Greenpoint’s website for updates. This tour is free but space is limited. RSVP to info@preservationgreenpoint.org. Meeting location will be given when RSVP is received.

CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES FORUM AND EVENING RECEPTION!

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:44:42 -0400

WHEN: MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013

TIME: 6:30-8:30PM

WHERE: WEST PARK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

165 WEST 86^THSTREET at AMSTERDAM AVENUE

Meet the Candidates running for City Council District 6 (currently held by the Hon. Gale Brewer)

Candidates joining us are (in alphabetical order):

Ken Biberaj, Debra Cooper, Noah Gotbaum, Marc Landis, Helen Rosenthal, and Mel Wymore

Mingle and Ask Questions

Share Your Concerns and Ideas with the Candidates

Support Your Community

Enjoy Refreshments

Hosted by “The West 80s Neighborhood Association” and “Friends of West Park”

Please share this invitation with your neighbors and friends!

Melissa Elstein, Secretary and Founding Member

West 80s Neighborhood Association

P.O. Box 732

New York, NY 10024

www.west80s.org

Lecture on Roosevelt Island

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 17:08:05 -0400

TIME TO UNWIND: THE MOUNT VERNON HOTEL MUSEUM AND LEISURE IN JACKSONIAN NEW YORK: (Roosevelt Island, NY, April 1, 2013) –

Built in 1799 and one of the eight oldest buildings in New York City, The Mount Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden interprets travel, leisure, work and play in diverse antebellum New York. Dana Settles, Curator of Education, will describe the leisure activities of New Yorkers in the 1820s, in a lecture sponsored by the Roosevelt Island Historical Society, at the New York Public Library Branch on Roosevelt Island, on Tuesday, April 9, at 6:30 p.m. Some highlights will include traditional toasts and activities in the taverns, and the guests who frequented these locales. The event is FREE and open to the public. It is the third in a series of spring lectures sponsored by the Roosevelt Island Historical Society.

DIRECTIONS: Take the Tram at 59th Street and Second Avenue or the F train to Roosevelt Island. Take the red bus for 25 cents or walk eight minutes north to 524 Main Street. The Roosevelt Island Historical Society promotes awareness of our Island’s unique story and pursues preservation of its landmarks and artifacts.

For more information, please visit www.rihs.us.

#RooseveltIsland

Maps, Realities and the People’s Palace

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 11:32:00 -0400

April 20, 10am-Noon
Marking the centennial of Grand Central Terminal, we’ll tour the GCT and Bryant Park vicinities, planned areas greatly altered since before the Civil War. Then we will see how historical cartography captures the changing urban landscape in the splendidly restored Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division of the New York Public Library.

Fee $15 payable at tour.
Preregistration required. Tour size limited.
RSVP to jaconet@aol.com using the SUBJECT= APRIL 20.
http://www.geognyc.com/

“Landmark Loonies”

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 13:49:49 -0400

To the Editor,

The japes and mockeries in the recent editorial “Landmark Loonies” are both inappropriate and inaccurate. The Historic Districts Council did several surveys of the area in order to formulate our list of buildings to be considered for landmarks designation, taking into account each individual building’s architectural and historical significance. Brief reports, written by professional architectural historians and architects, were then submitted to the Landmarks Preservation Commission. HDC’s list included the buildings which our colleagues at the New York Landmarks Conservancy and the Municipal Art Society also recommended; we felt there was no need to reproduce their research independently. Each group performed its own surveys and reached its own conclusions – which add to each other, not detract. The plan covers 78 blocks of a heavily-trafficked and well-known area of Manhattan with hundreds of buildings. It is not surprising that there is so much interest in trying to preserve the best of them.

Interestingly, the editorial did not mention the most important list, the one that the Landmarks Preservation Commission produced in accordance with its role in the plan’s environmental review. That list has 32 sites that the LPC has identified as “potentially eligible” for landmark status, 18 of them appear on HDC’s list as well.

Sincerely,

Simeon Bankoff

Executive Director

Historic Districts Council

A letter to the editor of the ‘New York Daily New’ in response to the article ‘Landmark loonies throw bricks at Mayor Bloomberg’s Midtown East rezoning plan’ which was released today 3-25-2013.

Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 13:34:33 -0400

The Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance is excited to present the 6th Annual City of Water Day on July 20, 2013 at Governors Island in New York Harbor, and at Liberty State Park in Jersey City.

Each year we receive over 20,000 visitors overall and this year we expect more than 20,000 visitors on Governors Island and another 7,000 at Liberty State Park during the day. City of Water Day offers an excellent opportunity to present your organization to a very enthusiastic public.

Use City of Water Day to promote your work, hold an activity, or simply get the word out. We encourage interactive and hands on activities - your table will get a lot of traffic!

Please fill out this submission form if you’re interested in providing an activity, entertainment or food at Governors Island or Liberty State Park: http://www.cityofwaterday.org/sign-up/

Notes:

Please submit two forms if you’re participating at both sites.
If you need to change your submission closer to the event please contact us.
Please note that the children’s section at Governors Island is separate from the adult section.
The event at Liberty State Park will not be held on the South Field due to post-Sandy repairs for the CRRNJ Terminal building. It will likely take place on North Field but we will confirm in the next month.

We look forward to working with you! Please feel free to contact me at shill@waterfrontalliance.org or Tel: 212-935-9831 ext. 106 if you have any questions.

MAGNOLIA BLOSSOM WALK ON ROOSEVELT ISLAND

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 12:35:16 -0400

Spring is in the air — with all its glory — on the Magnolia Blossom Walk to be held on Roosevelt Island on Sunday, March 31,2013 at 11:00 a.m. Take a 75-minute walk of scenic sites on Roosevelt Island and rejoice in the abundant color of the magnolia trees in full bloom. The tour, led by Judith Berdy, President of the Roosevelt Island Historical Society, offers close-ups on the Island’s flowering trees for photographers and flower-lovers alike. This is the first in a series of two walks offering botanical insights about Roosevelt Island.

The Cherry Blossom Walk will be held on Saturday, April 20 at 11:00 a.m.

For reservations, please contact rooseveltislandhistory@usa.com or 212-688-4836.

A donation of $10 to the RIHS is requested. Payment is accepted via PayPal on the RIHS website.

DIRECTIONS: Take the Tram at 59th Street and Second Avenue or the F train to Roosevelt Island. (Check for normal subway service.) Walk 15 minutes north on Main Street or take the red bus (25 cents). Meet at The Octagon, 888 Main Street. The Roosevelt Island Historical Society promotes awareness of our Island’s unique story and pursues preservation of its landmarks and artifacts. For more information, please visit www.rihs.us. Note to Editor: Photo available; credit to The Roosevelt Island Historical Society.

COME TO RALLY AT CITY HALL 3/19 We need you to join us on Tuesday, March 19 from 12pm to 1pm on the...

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 11:20:49 -0400

COME TO RALLY AT CITY HALL 3/19
We need you to join us on Tuesday, March 19 from 12pm to 1pm on the steps of City Hall, for a Rally on Behalf of New Amsterdam Market.

TELL THE COUNCIL TO VOTE “NO”
This is our last chance to stop the mall developer’s plans to destroy the iconic, city-owned Fulton Fish Market and replace it with a luxury high-rise complex whose details have not been disclosed to the public.

Monday, March 18, 2013 at 6:30PM at the Fulton Auditorium, 119 Ninth Avenue the Chelsea Land Use...

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:58:16 -0400

Monday, March 18, 2013 at 6:30PM

at the Fulton Auditorium,
119 Ninth Avenue
the Chelsea Land Use and Clinton/Hell’s Kitchen Land Use Committees

AGENDA ITEM #3.
Discussion: Proposed Expansion of Special West Chelsea District – continuing discussion

Following the joint meeting, the Chelsea Land Use Committee will continue its discussion on the proposed Special West Chelsea District among other issues.

The present status of the proposed plan can be reviewed by clicking here (pdf download of current draft) or go to
http://www.nyc.gov/html/mancb4/html/home/home.shtml.

Also on the agenda for this meeting,

AGENDA ITEM #4.
Discussion: Sidewalk Cafés in Special West Chelsea District

Thank you!

Save Chelsea

The New York Pavilion: Space Shipwreck

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 13:51:00 -0400

The New York Pavilion: Space Shipwreck, is a documentary film that will tell the story of how the New York State Pavilion came to be, and how it came to be neglected.

Over the past 5 decades many passionate New Yorkers have had important roles in advocating for the New York Pavilion but now live in various locations around the country. In order to get these interviews, I need your help.

Donate what you can and get your name in the credits of the film!

~Matthew Silva

http://www.gofundme.com/275u6g?utm_campaign=Emails&utm_source=sendgrid.com&utm_medium=email

Lower East Side Oral Histories, a new book by Nina Howes (half Irish!) and LESHP’s Eric...

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 13:29:04 -0400

Lower East Side Oral Histories, a new book by Nina Howes (half Irish!) and LESHP’s Eric Ferrara, documents the memories of twenty-five people from diverse backgrounds who experienced life in one of the 20th century’s most vibrant and complex neighborhoods. From childhood memories of pushcarts and nickel-baths to observations of the constantly changing face of the district, discover the Lower East Side through the eyes and voices of the people who have witnessed much of the history that made our neighborhood so legendary.

Meet authors as well as interviewees whose life stories and personal photos were documented for the project, including Rebecca Lepkoff, Nilda Rivera, Frankie Alexander and Jan Lee.

Sunday, March 17, 2013
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Kehila Kedosha Janina Synagogue & Museum
280 Broome Street (between Allen & Eldridge)
Free!

Lower East Side Oral Histories on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1609497945/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1609497945&linkCode=as2&tag=eastvillage09-20

The City of Yonkers has issued a Request for Proposals to acquire, preserve, restore, redevelop and...

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:35:45 -0400

The City of Yonkers has issued a Request for Proposals to acquire, preserve, restore, redevelop and adaptively reuse its City Jail.

The jail is a City-owned property located in southwest Yonkers at 24 Alexander Street (Block: 2608, Lot: 1). It is a two-storied structure; its dimensions are 135’ x 40’ with 10,800 square feet. The site is approximately .65 acres and is zoned I-District (Industrial).

The City’s redevelopment goals for this site are to

Preserve, restore and adaptively reuse the structure.
Preserve and restore the building’s architectural features.
Incorporate sustainable development principles.
Redevelop the site with market rate, non-residential uses.
Incorporate the goals of the Alexander Street Master and Urban Renewal Plans.
To complete the redevelopment within two (2) years of being designated as the developer.

The RFP can be accessed online at:

http://www.yonkersny.gov/Index.aspx?page=2870

The Bowery Historic District Listed in the National Register of Historic Places

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 17:06:40 -0500

For Immediate Release February 25, 2013

Contact: Kerri Culhane (646) 737-3390

The Bowery Historic District Listed in the National Register of Historic Places

(New York, NY) —Two Bridges Neighborhood Council (TBNC) and Bowery Alliance of Neighbors (BAN) are thrilled to announce that, as of February 20, 2013, New York’s famed Bowery is now officially listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Bowery Historic District was listed in the State Register of Historic Places in October 2011. The Bowery is now included in the National Register of Historic Places maintained by the National Park Service, a selective list of the most significant places in local, state and national history.

“It’s hard to believe that a case had to be made for the significance of one of our most historic streets and all of the folklore that surrounds it, “ comments Victor Papa, TBNC’s President/Director. “This isn’t just Lower East Side history—this is National history. It is now undeniably clear that the Bowery plays a central role in development of American culture.” The Bowery now ranks with such historic districts as New Orleans’ French Quarter, Charleston’s Battery and Boston’s Beacon Hill.

TBNC and BAN sponsored the State and National Register nomination of the Bowery to highlight the rich history of New York’s most architecturally diverse and historically significant streetscape. “Native American foot trail, Dutch farm road, site of Lincoln’s epochal anti-slavery speech, Bowery is NYC’s oldest street,” said David Mulkins, BAN’s Chairman. “It has a seminal connection to tap dance, vaudeville, Yiddish theater, Stephen Foster, Irving Berlin, abstract expressionism and punk.” The Bowery historic district encompasses such diverse sites as artist’s lofts, flophouses, former theatres, eighteenth-century townhouses, the Liz Christy Community Garden and the former CBGB.

On the evening of March 20, 2013, TBNC and BAN will host “Vintage Bowery,” a benefit to celebrate the designation of the Bowery Historic District to the National Register of Historic Places. The celebratory party at the Bowery Hotel will feature musicians, singers, dancers and poets all highlighting the Bowery’s rich cultural history. Details about the event can be found at:

http://www.twobridges.org/programs-and-projects/public-programs-events/vintage-bowery

Unlike a New York City Landmark District, the National Register designation is honorific, meaning it recognizes the importance of the resources it honors, but does not automatically come with restrictions or design review requirements. Among the significant and potentially valuable financial benefits to property owners and in some cases business owners in National Register-listed properties are access to state and federal tax credits if an owner chooses to rehabilitate a historic property; low or zero-interest loans for restoration or rehabilitation of a building; and technical assistance.

“The Bowery nomination is unique—with a period of significance spanning 1626 to 1975, it not only recognizes the architecture and cultural history of the street, but it acknowledges the earliest planning history of New York,” states Kerri Culhane, the architectural historian who researched and wrote the nomination. “By extension, the Bowery nomination should be used as a planning tool to help guide better, scale-appropriate zoning and contextual infill to respect this vibrant and dynamic thoroughfare, which continues to make history today.”

How Did Tribeca Get Its Historic Districts?Why Do They Matter? Are They Protected Enough? A Public...

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 15:31:03 -0500

How Did Tribeca Get Its Historic Districts?
Why Do They Matter?
Are They Protected Enough?

A Public Conversation with Celebrated Authors
Andrew Dolkart and Anthony Tung
Moderator: Hal Bromm

Date: Sunday February 24, 2013 from 4-6 p.m.
Venue: New York Law School, entrance at Leonard and West Broadway
Cost: Pay as you wish, no reservation necessary. There will be time for questions and to mingle afterwards.

Professor Andrew Dolkart is well known to Tribecans for drawing the first map of a proposed historic district for our neighborhood. He is now Director of the Historic Preservation Program at Columbia University. He is also the author of The Texture of Tribeca: An Illustrated History, (1989), the Guide to New York City Landmarks (2009), and the award winning, The Row House Reborn.

Anthony Tung was a New York City Landmarks Preservation Commissioner, famous for his principled defense of the New York Public Library under the Koch administration. He has been an instructor on architectural history at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and a visiting professor on international urban preservation at MIT. His book, Preserving the World’s Cities: Destruction and Renewal of the Historic Metropolis (2001) has been hailed as “vivid” and “nuanced” and a “landmark of creative urbanism” written with a “breadth of vision and rapid-fire insight that recalls Lewis Mumford at his best”. His talk will focus on the problem of in-fill construction in an historic district, comparing Amsterdam to Tribeca.

Hal Bromm is a Tribeca gallery owner. In 1984, he formed the committee for the Washington Market Historic District to push for Historic District Designation for Tribeca. He organized the publication of the award-winning book The Texture of Tribeca to use as a lobbying tool in the successful designation effort. He has served as President of New York’s Historic Districts Council and was one of the founders of the Citizen’s Emergency Committee to Preserve Preservation.

Hello, I own a business in Prospect Heights Brooklyn, and need to remove my exterior fence due to a Dept of Consumer Affairs sidewalk cafe requirement. The neighborhood is landmarked, and the LPC has advised me that I must protect the bluestone & concrete sidewalk to match the color. I'm looking now for a referral to a contractor who specializes in bluestone/ concrete preservation , would you be able to point me in the right direction?

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 11:08:38 -0500

You should check the New York Landmarks Conservancy’s list:

http://www.nylandmarks.org/programs_services/technical_assistance/find_a_professional/

Lecture: “From Great Estates to Great Parks: 125 Years of Bronx Parks”

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 16:46:12 -0500

Tuesday, February 26, 7:30 p.m.
How and why did what is now the Bronx go from an area of great estates to a community of modest homes and great parks? The 1888 creation of the Bronx Parks system, 125 years ago, was perhaps the clearest turning point for the Bronx, even though Pelham Bay Park would not be within the city limits for another 17 years. Dart Westphal will discuss some of the reasons and the consequences of a movement to create “Free Playground(s) for the People.”

Registration requested. Cost free

http://www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org/events/calendar.php

To register call 718.885.1461 or email: info@bpmm.org.

Location: Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum

895 Shore Road, Pelham Bay Park

Bronx, New York

19th Annual Preservation Conference: Preservation Now! Conference Tours

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 11:56:12 -0500

March 3, 2013

Walking Tours
Meeting times, locations and directions for tours will be provided upon registration. Tours generally start between 10:00am and 1:00pm and last approximately two and a half hours.

Grand Central Terminal and Midtown East, Manhattan

Borough Hall Skyscraper Historic District and Environs, Brooklyn

Further Along the Grand Concourse, The Bronx

New York University and Greenwich Village, Manhattan

Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens

all tours $15

http://hdc.org/program-events/19th-annual-conference

#PreservationNow

The 19th Annual Bronx Parks Speak Up! HISTORY, PARKS & CULTURE: USING OPEN SPACES TO...

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 10:34:54 -0500

The 19th Annual Bronx Parks Speak Up!

HISTORY, PARKS & CULTURE: USING OPEN SPACES TO BRIDGE CULTURAL GAPS

Learn about all the resources/Opportunities for Community Groups, Educators & Volunteers.

Saturday, February 23rd

Lehman College Faculty Dining Room

11 am to 5 pm

For more Information please visit www.bronxspeakup.org

To request a table, please send an email to speakuptabling@hotmail.com

In case of bad weather please visit www.bronxspeakup.org or call 718-601-1460

Directions:

Bx10 or Bx26 bus, D or 4 train to Bedford Park Blvd.

Parking available in North Lot on Goulden Avenue for a fee.

#SixToCelebrate #BronxParks

SAVE THE DATE: GREENPOINT PUB CRAWL

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 17:50:26 -0500

Friday, February 22nd, 6:30pm

Come raise a toast to the founding of Preservation Greenpoint by two fellow program alums, and to Greenpoint’s selection as one of the Historic District Council’s Six to Celebrate in 2013! Begin your acquaintance with this neighborhood via its historic watering holes on PA’s Greenpoint Pub Crawl. The evening will kick off around 6:30pm, visiting a bar that was once a longshoremen’s hangout during the neighborhood’s shipbuilding heyday, and continue crawling through the historic hot spots of the district. Details to follow.

RSVP to info@preservationgreenpoint.org.