E-BULLETIN OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICTS COUNCIL
May 2013, Volume 10, Number 1
Coffee Talk- Requests for Evaluations with Mary Beth Betts
May 6
8:30 – 10:00 AM
Neighborhood Preservation Center 232 East 11th Street New York, NY 10003
Each year, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission receives and evaluates approximately 200 Requests for Evaluation for new landmarks, historic districts and historic district extensions. The LPC’s RFE form, available on their website, requests that applicants provide as much information about the property as possible, including photographs. A strong RFE package can make a great impact in the achievement of preservation priorities.
The LPC’s Director of Research, Mary Beth Betts, will present pointers on filing effective and thorough RFEs, as well as answer your questions on the designation process and research resources in New York City. Check out Cityland for a recent interview with Mary Beth.
Events is FREE, but reservations are required.
For more information on this series or to RSVP, please contact Barbara Zay at [email protected] or 212-614-9107
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Help Save the New York Public Library from Itself
Rally & Leafleting on Wednesday, May 8, 3:30pm – 5:30pm
The late Ada Louise Huxtable called it “a plan devised out of a profound ignorance of or willful disregard for not only the library’s original concept and design, but also the folly of altering its meaning and mission and compromising its historical and architectural integrity. You don’t ‘update’ a masterpiece” (Wall Street Journal)
The Central Library Plan (CLP) threatens to demolish the historic book stacks and install a new circulating library at the New York Public Library, one of the world’s great reference libraries and a New York City Individual Landmark designed by architects Carrère and Hastings in 1911.
The Plan will:
- Cost $350 million (probably more), of which $150 million will come from New York City taxpayers.
- Threaten the 42nd Street Library’s status as one of the world’s great research libraries.
- Endanger the architectural integrity of the landmarked 42nd Street building.
AND
- It was conceived in a closed door process, with minimal public notification and zero public input.
The Committee to Save the NYPL calls for a halt to the CLP until an independent agency can conduct a detailed cost analysis.
Michael Kimmelman states in his scathing New York Times review of the CLP on January 29, 2013, “A new Mid-Manhattan branch should cost a fraction of gutting the stacks and could produce much better architecture.”
Take action by joining the Committee to Save the NYPL in a public rally on Wednesday, May 8th at 3:30PM sharp in front of the NYPL facing Fifth Avenue, during the meeting of the NYPL Trustees.
For more information, see www.savenypl.org. To subscribe to the Committee’s newsletter, click here.
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Please join the Historic Districts Council along with the Green-Wood Historic Fund for an exclusive event for the Friends of HDC
Green-Wood Cemetery
500 25th Street Brooklyn, NY 11232
Twilight Tour and Catacomb Visit
Thursday, May 16th 5:30 to 8pm
Admission: $50/$75
Two is better than one on this exclusive joint tour with members of the Historic Districts Council and the Green-Wood Historic Fund. Among Green-Wood’s stunning spring landscape, mix and mingle with fellow members and some Green-Wood and HDC staff at an intimate outdoor reception.
After a drink and a snack, embark on a twilight tour with Green-Wood Historian Jeff Richman. You’ll enjoy the many fascinating sites and stories of Green-Wood’s 478 acres, including the stunning sculpture of New York mayor (among other vocations) DeWitt Clinton, the recently rediscovered Zouave Boy inside the Anderson Mausoleum, and gorgeous bronzes by Augustus Saint-Gaudens in collaboration with Stanford White. You’ll take in Green-Wood’s rolling hills and spring blooms at dusk, and even get a chance to enter the catacombs, an area closed to the public.
Please call 212.614.9107 or click here to RSVP for this special event.
Sponsored in part by and all images © of:
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Historic Districts Council 2013 Grassroots Preservation Awards and Annual Preservation Party
Date: Thursday May 23, 2013
Location: Village Community School, 272 W 10th St New York, NY 10014
Time: 6:30 pm
This year’s Grassroots Awards recipients are:
• The Myrtle Avenue Revitalization Project
• New Amsterdam Market’s Robert LaValva
• NYC Parks advocate Geoffrey Croft
• NYU Faculty Against the Sexton Plan
• The Aquinas Honor Society of the Immaculate Conception School
• Friend in High Places: Council Member Stephen Levin of Brooklyn’s 33rd District
• Friend from the Media Award: The Tribeca Trib.
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Have you been wondering how you’re going to explore and discover this great city over the summer? Well here’s your answer!
Join HDC on our fantastic walking/ bike tours of the Six To Celebrate neighborhoods. The tours will run from May through October.
Harrison Street, Staten Island
BUS/WALKING TOUR led by Barnett Shepherd, architectural historian
Saturday, May 11, 10:30AM
Visit Staten Island’s next historic district! Down the hill from the stately Stapleton Heights historic district, the “Stapleton Nook” is a charming enclave of eclectic 19th century houses, built largely for workers in Staten Island’s busy transit hubs, A rare example of historic rowhouse architecture on the Island, Harrison Street is currently under consideration by the Landmarks Commission as the borough’s fourth historic district.
The tour will visit both Stapleton historic districts and time permitting, the beautiful Alice Austen House Museum and Fort Wadsworth.
For more information about the tours click here
For information about the 2013 STC click here
For information about the STC program click here
Don’t forget we have the 2012Walking Tour Brochuresare now available for sale on our website!!!!
Only $10 for all six brochures (shipping included).
To purchase the brochures click here.
Six to Celebrate is generously supported by The New York Community Trust. Support for the Six to Celebrate Tours and walking tour brochures is provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. Additional support is provided by Councilmembers Margaret Chin, Inez Dickens, Vincent Gentile, Daniel Garodnick, Stephen Levin and Rosie Mendez.
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