Earlier this afternoon, the City Council Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Siting & Maritime Uses voted 7-2 to affirm the landmark designation of the NoHo Historic District Extension in its entirety, including the controversial White House Hotel at 338 Bowery.  The Land Use Committee also passed the district with a vote of 22-3 and it was affirmed by the full Council at its stated meeting today.

The inclusion of the White House Hotel, one of the oldest existent lodging houses left on the Bowery, to the district was only due to the strong and persistent advocacy of Council member Alan Gerson who worked for months trying to find a balance between the community’s desire to preserve the character of their neighborhood, the property owner’s development plans and the humanitarian needs of the longtime residents of the hotel, who are currently living in substandard conditions. In his statement to his colleagues supporting the inclusion of the property in the extension, CM Gerson submitted four letters into the record: one from the property owners withdrawing their opposition to designation; one from the Landmarks Preservation Commission stating that the agency would work with the owners as swiftly as possible on their development plans (which will almost certainly include a hardship application, although one simpler than the ongoing St. Vincent’s case); one from the Council member pledging to work with the owners on their concerns and to aid the residents in finding needed resources to improve their living conditions; and one from a community group supporting CM Gerson’s efforts and pledging their support as well.

Council member Rosie Mendez, whose district includes both a portion of the Bowery and the Extension, also spoke strongly in favor of finding a solution that satisfied both preservation and humanitarian concerns; using as an example the Prince George Hotel in the Madison Square North Historic District which has been rehabbed, restored and converted into housing for over 400 low-income and formerly houseless individuals.  Subcommittee Chair Jessica Lappin thoughtfully guided the wide-ranging discussion of the subcommittee back to the issue at hand, the inclusion of a historically-significant building to a historic district. In the end, following Chair Lappin’s recommendation, the Subcommittee voted 7-2 to approve the entire extension as designated by the LPC in May 2008, and this recommendation was approved 22-3 by the full Land Use Committee which met immediately afterwards.

HDC thanks all the individuals and agencies who worked for years to make this designation possible; Zella Jones, Jeanne Wilke, Tizianna Hardy, Stan Reis, Chuck Close, Pi Gardiner, the NoHo Neighborhood Association, the Friends of NoHo Architecture, the numerous friends and residents of NoHo who have shown up at countless meetings over the years and sent goodness knows how many letters in support, and last but certainly not least, the Landmarks Preservation Commission, without whom the designation could not have happened.

HDC sends special thanks to Council Alan Gerson for his persistence and tenacity in supporting this designation, and his extraordinary efforts to create a consensus around a difficult issue. Together with local advocates, we met with Mr. Gerson back in August 2001 (at a sandwich shop in a building that no longer exists on the west side of Centre Street between Chambers and Reade Streets) while he was still a candidate in a six-way race for City Council and spoke to him about the need to complete the designation of  NoHo. Mr. Gerson pledged his support at the time and now, seven years later, he delivered on that promise.

Back in May, Councilmember (then-candidate) Como answered our questions for our League of Preservation Voters for District 30 and participated in our forum. It’s early days yet, but any meeting between a Councilmember and a city agency which is characterized by both sides as “positive” and “constructive”  can only be viewed as a step in the right direction.

New councilman Anthony Como vows to push landmarking in Queens

BY NICHOLAS HIRSHON, DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Monday, August 4th 2008, 8:41 PM

Barely a month into his first term, City Councilman Anthony Como has boldly pledged to help landmark historic swaths of Richmond Hill and Ridgewood - and even areas outside of his eastern Queens district.

Como, picked in a June special election to replace Dennis Gallagher, made his vow days after what he called a “very positive” powwow with Landmarks Preservation Commission Chairman Robert Tierney - and months before Como faces another election in November.

“We live in the greatest city in the world and anything I can do to save its history and its culture, I’m all for it,” said the Middle Village Republican, adding his sitdown with Tierney last week was a way to form a relationship “from the beginning.”

During a two-hour meeting Tuesday at Landmarks Commission headquarters in Manhattan, Como told Tierney he supports historic districts in Richmond Hill and Ridgewood, as well as landmarking the Forest Park Carousel in Woodhaven.

The pair also talked about St. Saviour’s Episcopal Church in Maspeth, built in 1847 but denied landmark status when the commission ruled that repairs after a 1970 fire had altered it too much.

Kate Daly, a commission spokeswoman, said the meeting with Como was “constructive,” and that the agency was evaluating the sites he mentioned.

Dear Fellow New Yorker,

Bloomberg acted fast after the most recent crane disaster: He held a closed-door meeting with construction industry insiders. He came out with a proposal that is a watered-down version of Jim Brennan’s proposals from 2007 and 2008. Yet nobody is standing up for the community groups who have been following DOB reform for years.

Until now.

That’s why I’m asking you to join us in promoting DOB reform and community input on the City Hall steps.

When:    Thursday June 12, Noon (Please email Raul to confirm time)

Why:    To encourage the Mayor to incorporate community concerns in construction safety

Regards,
Raul Rothblatt
Executive Director, Four Borough Neighborhood Preservation Alliance Foundation
Raul@JumbieRecords.com  / 718-857-3150

# # #

Community support for DOB reform

In light of the Deutsche Bank building disaster and the two recent high-profile crane accidents, community activists and elected officials are coming together to demand reforms at the Department of Buildings. “Mayor Bloomberg’s recent proposals are a step in the right direction,” says Raul Rothblatt. “He is finally advocating for some of the reforms proposed last year—some of which he opposed. Now we urge him to work with community groups that have been advocating for DOB reform. Construction deaths are not limited to cranes, so it is important to address the bigger issues, and not just react to the news of the week.”

Dismayed at the steady stream of construction deaths and other accidents, dozens of these groups have been advocating for better enforcement of existing laws for years. The most pressing reforms include:

* Reinspect hazardous Stop Work Order sites. Currently, the DOB does not return to a construction site after every hazardous violation. Some offenders simply pay a fine, and the DOB does not check if the violation has been cured.

* End Self-Certification (a.k.a. “Professional Certification”). The crane disasters were not isolated events—they represent bigger problems with oversight of the construction industry. The Mayor needs to stand for safety all around New York, not just at high rise crane sites.

* Work with the community. After the most recent disaster, Bloomberg held a closed door meeting with construction industry insiders. The Mayor missed an opportunity to harness the expertise of community groups.

We cannot live in a city where everyone is afraid of every crane, bulldozer and jackhammer. This fear sometimes gets translated into a flood of 311 calls, but the City did not heed the warnings, with deadly results. Community groups can help sort out these complaints.

Some thoughts from our buddy Aaron of Greenwood Heights

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/05/nyregion/05safety.html

After chatting for about an hour about the Mayor’s and Speaker’s “brand new revolutionary safety 13 point plan,” I thought I’d let folks know where I stand (and hopefully some of you stand alongside on this tight rope the Mayor has strung).

I use the NY Times article as my foil:

“Building for the future and building safely are not mutually exclusive. We can and will do both. But public safety is our top priority.”

Gee, that’s a 180 from your discourse over the past 7 years that basically puts the Administration’s economic growth strategy at MAJOR ODDS with safety issues that not only affect the safety of the public, but the well being of neighborhoods and the preservation of the quality of life standards most NYers have come to enjoy…until now.

Encouraging construction/development in the City (especially in Bklyn) in the past 5 years with no consequence to the destruction unchecked development may cause is shameful. It is especially shameful when at the time of a crisis (one I might add has been evolving since 2003) due to 17 construction related deaths in 2008 so far, the Mayor chooses to take a reactive stance. Not after the March 15 tragedy, but after a second major crane collapse. Unfortunately the Mayor seems to only react to big news items (not to down play the deaths involved) and not to the on-going issues that affect the “small guy” projects through out the City that many civic organizations, elected officials, community boards and other City agencies have been calling for action for years.

“We will not compromise on safety,” even as construction continued…”

Really, again reactive rather than proactive Ms. Speaker, especially as “construction continues.”

“Bloomberg administration and the City Council unveiled a 13-point legislative package on Wednesday to broaden oversight of building sites, increase fines for violations and register all key contractors.”

Again, how thoughtful of the Mayor and the Speaker. Please understand one thing. I am ALL for the reforms (minus getting rid of the RA or PE status for Commissioner of Buildings so that we can slip acting Commissioner LiMandri in…not that I agree, just that there has been no open discussion with the residents of our City on the matter), but something stinks here…

For much of the 13 points, it seems the Mayor is again doing a 180. AM Brennan and his Committee on Cities in Albany proposed many of these same reforms both last year and this year…ain’t that funny. And what’s even funnier, the Mayor, at DOB’s request, asked Ex-Gov. “Party Boy” Spitzer to VETO THOSE SAME RELATED BILLS that contained much of what the Mayor is proposing. Again, shame on you Mayor Mike.

It wasn’t good enough for the State, the City and the Mayor’s constituents to get more enforcement power and accountability in the construction trades via a stronger DOB…until tragedy strikes close to home for the Mayor. Again, shame on you.

If much of the bill package AM Brennan has proposed last year (and again this year) had passed, we may have avoided what happened in March and so recently, not a 100% guarantee, but I’d place high odds. Not only at the 17 construction related deaths, but at the 100’s of construction related accidents through out the City due to unscrupulous developers and cowboy-style contractors who run rough-shod over neighborhoods they work in.

“the department had issued more than 1,200 stop-work orders and nearly 4,000 violations in the past 12 months. Still, that has not put an end to construction accidents…”

And that’s the real issue here. DOB can write all the tickets they want and issue stop work orders all day. But until the Administration (Mayor and City Council included) changes their stance from pro-development/economic growth to pro-YOU AND ME, and think of our safety before the all mighty tax dollar, none of the 13 points will matter. Developers in this City, with the go ahead of the Mayor, have found loopholes time and time again to exploit the DOB code and zoning resolution to their industries advantage. 13 new points will not change that MO for their ROI.

I would like to believe Mayor Mike and the Speaker…until I see job sites shut down and “…public safety is our top priority.” over more luxury development and unchecked growth in our City, I don’t believe the folks fighting-the-good-fight stand a chance.

There are several events in the works to protest the Mayor’s sudden opportunistic change of heart and also to hold he and the Speaker’s feet to the fire. i will keep folks posted as the come in-line and hope that you can show your support. This MUST include working with our local electeds to make sure promises are kept and progress is made…and not just talked about on the Council Floor.

Hopefully we won’t have to worry about more “change of heart” into a 3rd term for Mayor Mike.

As always, disgusted, but optimistic.

Aaron

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Aaron Brashear
Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Hts.
aaron@ccgreenwoodhts.com
http://www.ccgreenwoodhts.com/
SUPPORT CONTEXTUAL NEW DEVELOPMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY!
Advocating for the Preservation of the Character of Our Neighborhood