Even More From the New York Times

On Saturday, December 6th, the New York Times published an editorial capping Robin Pogrebin's series on the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC). The piece quoted Judge Marilyn Shafer, in her recent decision in CECPP v Tierney, and called on Mayor Bloomberg to take her conclusions seriously and to think about how to change LPC for the better. If you missed it, it is available in its entirety, below. You can view the editorial on nytimes.com by clicking here.

For more coverage on this critical Times series and for information on CECPP's important role in Robin Pogrebin's research, see previous posts here and here.

Improving the Landmarks Process

Judge Marilyn Shafer of the New York State Supreme Court ruled last month that the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission habitually acted in a manner that was “arbitrary and capricious” and ordered the commission to conduct its business in a more timely manner. Her conclusions are welcome and frustratingly familiar to New Yorkers.

The city plans to appeal. Instead, it should reform the commission, which is all that stands between the enormous pressures for development in this city and its priceless architectural heritage.

In a recent series, The Times’s Robin Pogrebin detailed many of the commission’s dysfunctional ways, including inadequate record-keeping, protracted delays and a lack of transparency. The commission’s notable successes — creating historic districts and protecting significant buildings — have been diminished by its notable failures, including its decision to let 2 Columbus Circle be substantially rebuilt without a public hearing.

Part of the trouble is that the commission enjoys little political independence. The chairman serves at the mayor’s pleasure; the 11 unpaid commissioners see only the cases the chairman recommends. These are attributes that a pro-development mayor is not likely to want to change.

We urge Mayor Michael Bloomberg to give preservation more weight in city planning. The next landmarks chairman should come from preservation circles. The commissioners need more independence and authority. There needs to be better communication with the Buildings Department to prevent the confusion that has sometimes resulted in the destruction of a building slated for landmark consideration.

The most valuable change would be to address Judge Shafer’s concerns. Landmark decisions should be made expeditiously and transparently with a clear public record of the commission’s decision-making. The proper balance between healthy development and preservation cannot be found unless the commission plays a more vigorous and public role.

More on the Landmarks Black Hole

In case you missed it, the Wednesday November 26 2008 front page of the New York Times featured an article titled "An Opaque and Lengthy Road to Landmark Status", beginning an investigative series by Robin Pogrebin. The piece examines the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) and uncovers "an overtaxed agency that has taken years to act on some proposed designations, even as soaring development pressures put historic buildings at risk."

The story marks an important turning point for the city’s preservation movement and highlighted CECPP’s recent victory in the case CECPP v. Tierney, in which the New York State Supreme Court ruled that LPC's inaction on Requests for Evaluation was "arbitrary and capricious" and ordered the agency to make timely, public decisions on designation requests. The full decision is available here


The article also featured a great photo of several of CECPP's volunteer Steering Committee Members (above, via nytimes.com)

The article offers proof positive that the NYC Landmarks Law has suffered serious setbacks under the current administration, citing examples of numerous structures that have been lost or irrevocably defaced while languishing unprotected despite, in some cases, years of community cries for designation.


Another important article appeared in the NY Post on Sunday, November 30: "New York on the Block" written by Julia Vitullo-Martin, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Today, December 1, the next article in Robin Pogrebin's series appeared in the NY Times, focusing on the preservation efforts to save religious structures.

CECPP highly recommends that you read these articles if you are at all concerned about the state of New York City's landmarks and the current inner workings of the LPC. To read the first article by Robin Pogrebin, in full, click here.

Stay tuned for CECPP’s suggested strategies and actions to counter the current situation.