ADVOCACY | Citywide
#5 Gives You a Voice in Your Neighborhood! Vote Yes for #5!

New York is changing in front of our eyes. Communities feel left out of the process. Vote yes on Ballot Question #5 to take the first step towards fairness in land use review.

Improvements to the City Charter will give Community Boards and New Yorkers a chance to learn more about new development before the formal review process begins. Before it's too late to negotiate changes.

Community Boards will have more time to review proposals and hold public meetings in the summer when developers think no one is paying attention. 

There will be more to do to ensure fairness but everything starts with the first step. Read more about the ballot proposal.

A New York Times editorial got it half right. It supported one part of #5—giving Community Boards a look at development proposals 30 days before the public review begins. We agree. So it’s baffling that the Times failed to see the fairness in giving all-volunteer Community Boards and New Yorkers a little extra time in the summer.

Community Boards review a variety of development proposals that have an impact on their area, not just affordable housing proposals that concern the Times. Residents throughout the City want, and deserve, a say in how their communities evolve. #5 helps give them that. 
 
There is considerable support for #5. Council Speaker Corey Johnson, Citizens Union, Common Cause all support it.  Early voting is now underway or go to the ballot box November 5.

Vote yes on #5!
PRESERVATION ASSIST | Staten Island
Frederick Law Olmsted's Former House to be Stabilized

Following a two-month bidding process, the winning proposal has been selected for the stabilization work at the Olmsted House on Staten Island. Fifty-Three Restorations submitted the winning proposal and will commence work as soon as the final Parks Department permit is obtained.

The priority repairs will protect the vulnerable basement walls from rain and water infiltration and will also protect the basement space itself from moisture (or rising damp) on the floor. These measures are important to stop further deterioration of the building structure. Work is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

ADVOCACY | East Midtown
Landmarks Commission Approves Morgan Library Plan

T he Conservancy supported a proposal for improvements along the 36th Street side of the Morgan complex, at a Landmarks Preservation Commission hearing on Tuesday, October 29.  The plan features new landscaping and lighting at the Morgan Library, the Italian-Renaissance masterpiece designed by Charles McKim and completed in 1906. 

Pavers and plantings will be set in a geometric pattern that echoes design elements found within the building. The new pathways will increase accessibility. An elegant lighting scheme will brighten a dark stretch of 36th Street, with a focus on the magnificent entry loggia. And new signage across the Morgan complex will replace outdated information in a uniform program. 

EVENTS | Lower Manhattan
Conservancy Welcomes Officials from China

A delegation of municipal officials from Hangzhou, China visited the Conservancy on October 21 to learn about New York’s preservation and land use issues. They also were interested in how we functioned as a non-profit organization. One official politely noted that, while he loved seeing the City, he was surprised that subways were dirty. 

Following a two-hour question and answer session, the delegation was treated to a brief tour of Lower Manhattan by Glen Umberger, our Special Projects manager. This was the third delegation of Chinese municipal officials to visit the Conservancy sponsored by A&C International Foundation.
Lectures & Events
Opening Doors: Accessibility in Historic Houses of Worship

Join us for a conversation on the challenges and rewards of tastefully and respectfully integrating Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) features—including elevators, ramps and lifts—to historic houses of worship. The event will be moderated by Conservancy President, Peg Breen. Panelists will include: Clerical Leadership, Disability Advocates, Landmarks Preservation Commission staff, Architects specializing in the field of the incorporation between ADA features and historic Houses of Worship

Thursday, November 14
6:00 – 8:00 pm

The Church of St. Ignatius Loyola – Wallace Hall at 980 Park Avenue (Accessible entrance at 48 E. 84th Street)

The event is FREE , but advance registration is required. REGISTER HERE

2.0 LU AIA CE credits offered.

For more information, please contact:
Chloe Deutschman, 212-414-4500 ×10
Mystery Landmark
Did You Identify This Mystery Landmark?

It's the "Cathedral of Commerce," also known as the Woolworth Building . The carving shows five-and-dime store owner Frank Woolworth counting his nickels and dimes which he used to pay for his building at a cost of $13.5 million. Paid in cash.
The building was designed by architect Cass Gilbert and was completed in 1913 as one of the earliest skyscrapers in the country and was the world’s tallest building until the completion of the Chrysler Building in 1930.

The Woolworth’s Gothic-inspired façade with highly detailed terra-cotta, pyramidal crown and ornate lobby with colorful mosaics and whimsical corbel figures make this a New York architectural treasure .

It has been a National Historic Landmark since 1966 and a New York City Landmark since 1983 (interior lobby included). It was also listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966.


The structure was correctly identified by Mark L.
About Us

From the smallest buildings, to the most extraordinary landmarks, to our diverse neighborhoods, The New York Landmarks Conservancy preserves the unique architectural heritage of the City we love.

We are on the frontlines, giving New York’s preservation needs a voice, advocating for sensible development, providing financial assistance and technical expertise—all to ensure that the character of our City continues to enrich the quality of life for all New Yorkers.

Support Us

The New York Landmarks Conservancy depends on donations from people like you, who love New York as much as we do.

Join us. Donate today.


This newsletter is made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.  
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