Lang Lauds Landmarking Lollapalooza
From amNew York
Landmarking booms as developers loom
By Justin Rocket Silverman, amNewYork Staff Writer
[email protected]
October 31, 2007
The defensive shield that protects historic buildings from the whims of real estate developers grew significantly Tuesday, after the city designated seven new landmarks, including a former pencil factory in Greenpoint, Lord & Taylor on Fifth Avenue, and the former apartment tower home of Grace Kelly and Benny Goodman on East 66th Street.
“This is a landmarking Lollapalooza,” said Roger Lang, a spokesman for The New York Landmarks Conservancy, an advocacy group.
In a city famous for a teardown mentality fostered by soaring real estate values, the idea of preservation may itself seem endangered. But it is the very speed of development that may have sparked the current wave of landmarking activity.
“The fear of overdevelopment was very clear in today’s hearings,” Lang said. “We want to use landmark status to ensure development is done appropriately.”
The designations, which still have to be approved by the City Council, are consistent with the dramatic increase in the pace as well as the geographic scope of preservation.
It’s nice to be able to report progress. HDC testified in support of all these efforts as well.