History
Context
The preservation movement in New York City dates back to at least 1831, when the New York Evening Post expressed opposition to the demolition of a century house on Pearl Street in Lower Manhattan.[20][21] Prior to the creation of the LPC, buildings and structures were preserved primarily through advocacy, either by individuals or groups.[22] Numerous residences were saved in this manner, including Andrew Carnegie Mansion, Percy R. Pyne House") and Oliver D. Filley House"), all of which eventually became individual landmarks after the formation of the LPC.[22] Other structures such as the Van Cortlandt House"), Morris-Jumel Mansion"), Edgar Allan Poe Cottage"), and Dyckman House were preserved as historic house museums in the late 1950s and early 1900s.[23] Proponents also led efforts to preserve cultural sites such as Carnegie Hall, which in the late 1950s was scheduled to be replaced by an office tower.[24][25] However, early preservation movements often focused on preserving colonial-style houses, while paying relatively little attention to other architectural styles or building types.[26].
In general, there was little support for the preservation movement until World War II. Structures such as the Post Office and Courthouse at City Hall (New York), the Madison Square Presbyterian Church (1906), and Madison Square Garden (1890) were demolished if They had fallen out of architectural favor.[27] Others, such as St. John's Chapel&action=edit&redlink=1 "St. John's Chapel (New York) (not yet drafted)"), were destroyed despite support for their preservation.[21][28] In the 1950s, there was growing support for the preservation of architecturally significant structures. For example, a 1954 study found approximately two hundred structures that could potentially be preserved.[29][30] At the same time, older structures, especially those built before World War I, were perceived as an impediment to development.[31] The demolition of Pennsylvania Station "Pennsylvania Station (1910-1963)") between 1963 and 1966, despite protest Widespread,[32][33] is cited as a catalyst for the architectural preservation movement in the United States, particularly in New York City.[34][35].
Creation
The Mayor's Committee for the Preservation of Structures of Historical and Aesthetic Significance was formed in mid-1961 by Mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr.[11][36] This committee was disbanded in early 1962.[37] Wagner formed the Landmarks Preservation Commission on April 21, 1962, with twelve non-members. salaried workers.[11][38][39] Shortly thereafter, LPC began designating buildings as landmarks.[39] That July, Wagner issued an executive order requiring municipal agencies to notify the LPC of any "proposed public improvements."[40].
The first version of the LPC initially had little power over enforcement,[11][41] and was unable to prevent the demolition of Pennsylvania Station.[42] As a result, in April 1964, LPC member Geoffrey Platt drafted a New York City Landmarks Law.[43] Protests over the proposed destruction of the Brokaw Mansion on Manhattan's Upper East Side, identified by the LPC as A potential milestone, it inspired Wagner to send the legislation to the New York City Council in mid-1964. The City Council committee that was reviewing the legislation made several changes to the Historic Landmarks Law; For example, the committee removed a clause mandating a 120 m buffer zone around proposed landmarks.[43][47] The bill was approved by the City Council on April 7, 1965,[48] and was signed into law by Wagner on April 20.[5][49].
The first eleven commissioners to take office under the Landmarks Act were sworn in during June 1965. Platt was the first chairman, serving until 1968. The LPC's first public hearing took place in September 1965 and the first twenty landmarks were designated the following month. The Wyckoff House in Brooklyn was the first numerical landmark, and was designated. concurrently with structures such as the Astor Library),[54] the Brooklyn Navy Yard Commandant's House "Commander's House (Brooklyn), the Bowling Green U.S. Custom House, and six buildings in Sailors' Snug Harbor").[52] The first landmark district, the Brooklyn Heights Historic District), was designated in November 1965.[11] In its first year, the LPC designated 37 landmarks in addition to the district. Historic Brooklyn Heights. The LPC's early landmarks were selected primarily based on their architecture, and were largely government buildings, institutions, or structures whose preservation was unlikely to be controversial.[8] As a result, several prominent buildings were destroyed in the early years of the LPC's existence, such as the Singer Building and the New York Tribune Building. Other structures, such as the Villard Houses and Squadron A Armory, were only partially saved.[55]
Changes
The LPC was headquartered in the Mutual Reserve Building from 1967 to 1980,[56] and in the Old New York Evening Post Building from 1980 to 1987.[57] The original legislation allowed the LPC to designate landmarks for eighteen months after the law took effect, followed by alternating cycles of three-year breaks and six-year "designation periods." months.[5][43][58] In 1973, Mayor John Lindsay signed legislation allowing the LPC to consider milestones on a rolling basis. The bill also introduced new scenic and interior landmark designations.[43][59][60] The first scenic landmark was Bryant Park, while the first interior landmark was part of the neighboring main branch of the New York Public Library; both were appointed in November 1974.[61].
In its first twenty-five years, the LPC designated 856 individual landmarks, 79 interior landmarks, and 9 scenic landmarks, while declaring 52 neighborhoods with more than 15,000 buildings as historic districts.[62] In 1989, when the LPC and its process were under review following a panel created by Mayor Edward Koch in 1985,[63] a decision was made to change the process to the which buildings are declared landmarks[64] due to some perceived problems with the way the LPC operates[62] as well as the realization that the destruction feared when the LPC was formed was no longer imminent.[63] In 1990, David Dinkins cited the LPC as having preserved the municipal identity of New York City and improved the market perception of several neighborhoods. This success is believed to be due, in part, to the general acceptance of the LPC by city developers.[2] By 2016, the LPC had designated 1,355 individual landmarks, 117 interior landmarks, 138 historic districts, and 10 scenic landmarks.[11].
Notable judicial decisions
One of the most notable decisions the LPC was involved in was the preservation of Grand Central Terminal with the help of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.[65] In 1978, the United States Supreme Court upheld the law in Penn Central Transportation Co., et al. v. New York City, et al., by preventing the Pennsylvania Central Railroad from disturbing the structure and placing a large office tower on top.[66] This success is often cited as significant due to the LPC's origins following the destruction of Pennsylvania Station, which some refer to as architectural vandalism.[62]
In 1989, the LPC designated the Ladies' Mile Historic District").[67] The following year marked the first time in the history of the LPC that a proposed landmark, the Guggenheim Museum (one of the youngest declared landmarks), received a unanimous vote from the LPC members.[6] The vast majority of the LPC's actions are not unanimous by its members or the community, with several cases including St. Bartholomew "St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church (Manhattan)"), Bryant Park, and Broadway theaters resulting in challenges.[68] One of the most controversial properties was 2 Columbus Circle, which remained at the center of discussion over its future for several years.[69].
Cultural landmarks, such as the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, are also recognized not for their architecture, but for their location in a designated historic district.[70].
In a hotly contested decision on August 3, 2010, the LPC unanimously refused to grant landmark status to a building on Park Place in Manhattan and therefore did not block construction of Cordoba House.
A major dispute arose over the preservation of theaters in the Theater District during the 1980s. The LPC considered protecting about 50 legitimate theaters as individual city landmarks in 1982, following the destruction of the Helen Hayes and Morosco theaters.[72] An advisory panel to Mayor Koch voted to allow the LPC to consider the theaters not only for their historical significance but also for their merits. architectural.[73] In response to objections from some major theater operators, several dozen lighting and set designers offered to work on the LPC to create guidelines for potential landmarks.[74] Theaters were marked in alphabetical order; The first theaters to be designated under the 1982 plan were Neil Simon), Ambassador "Ambassador Theater (New York)") and Virginia (now August Wilson) in August 1985. LPC.[78][79].
Historic theater designations increased significantly in 1987,[80] beginning with the Palace in mid-1987.[81] Eventually, 28 additional theaters were designated as landmarks, of which 27 were Broadway theaters. The New York City Board of Estimates ratified these designations in March 1988. Of these, both the interior and exterior of 19 theaters were protected, while only the interiors of seven theaters (including the Lyceum, whose exterior was already protected) and the exteriors of two theaters were approved. Several theater owners argued that the historic designations negatively impacted them, despite Koch's outreach to the owners. The Shubert Organization, the Nederlander Organization, and Jujamcyn Theaters collectively sued the LPC in June 1988 to vacate the historic designations of 22 theaters on the grounds that they severely limited the extent to which their buildings could be altered. The New York Supreme Court upheld the LPC designations of these theaters the next year. The three theater operators challenged the ruling before the United States Supreme Court, which refused to hear the lawsuit in 1992, thereby upholding the appointments.[88]