CECCP and Save St. Vincent File Suit Against LPC

On Friday, January 30, the Citizens Emergency Committee to Preserve
Preservation and Save St. Vincent De Paul, Inc. filed an Article 78 lawsuit in effort to secure the landmarking of the historic Church of St. Vincent de Paul on West 23rd Street in Chelsea. The Church, which is the last remaining French parish in New York City and was also the first integrated religious institution in the City, has already been identified as eligible for listing on the Federal and State Registers of Historic Places.

The lawsuit challenges the refusal of LPC Chair Robert Tierney to refer to the full Commission the question of whether a public hearing should be calendared for possible designation. As has happened all too regularly, the Chair arrogated to himself – and himself alone – the decision on whether to calendar a hearing. The legal petition also asserts that in refusing to refer the matter to the full LPC, Mr. Tierney acted in an arbitrary and capricious way, rejecting out of hand the possible designation of St. Vincent de Paul when other former church structures very similar in appearance and with far less important histories have recently been landmarked.

CECPP hopes that this lawsuit will not only result in the serious consideration of St. Vincent de Paul as a City landmark but may also serve as an important precedent in restraining the Chair from making unilateral decisions on landmarking.

If you are interested in the case, you can download and read the Verified Petition at http://www.box.net/shared/14yjqgt6l1, the Petitioners’ Memorandum of Law at http://www.box.net/shared/qy2r2ectce and the Supporting Affidavit of Olga Statz at http://www.box.net/shared/0m780oja07.

We’ll keep you up to date on the case as it progresses.

City Budget 2011

Last week, Mayor Bloomberg released his 2011 Preliminary Budget with cuts aimed at closing a $4.9 Billion deficit.

Despite the heavy cuts, though, it appears that the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) has been largely spared, with just $51,000 in cuts proposed for FY 2001 ($4.819 proposed, down from $4,870 Million in the FY 2010 Adopted Budget). Of course, with an agency as small and busy as LPC, what's left to cut?

We'll keep our eyes on the situation over the next few weeks and update you on any changes.