ALERT: Help Save NYC's Historic Districts
HDC needs your help to help preserve the integrity of the Landmarks process and save our historic districts from inappropriate development.
As you may know, the owners of the former Parke-Bernet Gallery at 980 Madison Avenue have hired Lord Norman Foster to design a 30-story glass tower that will rise over the building. This proposal was announced in the New York Times under the heading “Injecting a Bold Shot of the New on the Upper East Side” (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/10/arts/design/10fost.html ).
Regardless of its architectural merit, HDC feels strongly that the tower is entirely inappropriate to the protected character of the Upper East Side Historic District. The style, scale and materials proposed are completely at odds with the standards of appropriateness as practiced and promulgated in our city’s 85 historic districts. Rather than establishing a relationship with the district’s protected landmark buildings, this tower instead proposes to use the Parke-Bernet Gallery (which was described by architect William Delano as combining “all the best of traditional and modern schools of architectural thought”) as a base to launch this glass tower into the sky where it will supposedly disappear.
In addition to the irreparable damage this proposal would do to the historic streetscape of Madison Avenue, it would also set a terrifying precedent for new development in historic districts citywide. HDC is very concerned that this proposal, if approved, will undermine the standards of appropriateness that the Landmarks Commission uses to regulate the 23,000 designated properties and will open the door to approving almost any plan proposed. This proposal must be rejected for the Landmarks process to remain strong.
The Landmarks hearing on this building will be Tuesday, October 24th (check http://www.nyc.gov/html/lpc/html/home/home.shtml) for times.
We need to present a strong, unified voice against this proposal –
it’s not just Madison Avenue, it’s all our historic districts that we’re defending.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP:
1. Send a letter urging the LPC to reject this proposal (sample letter below)
2. Sign on in opposition to this proposal – send a reply email telling me you are signing on.
3. Come to the Hearing on Tuesday, October 24th & speak out!
We will be continuing to organize and gather support.
Stay Posted for more info soon!
Sample Letter
Hon. Robert B. Tierney, Chair
Landmarks Preservation Commission
One Centre Street, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10007
Email: [email protected]
Fax: 212-669-7955
Phone: 212-669-7888
Dear Commissioner Tierney,
I urge the Landmarks Preservation Commission to reject the application for the construction of a glass tower over 980 Madison Avenue, the Parke-Bernet Building. This proposed tower is entirely inappropriate to the protected historic and architectural character of the Upper East Side Historic District. It has no connection in style, scale or materials to the district and if approved, would greatly detract from the distinct sense of place that exemplifies the Upper East Side. Additionally, this proposal violates the characteristic rhythm and scale of Madison Avenue, which is singled out specifically in the designation report as being “derived from the basic 20-25 foot width of the rowhouses” and corresponding to the party walls of rowhouses and bay systems of apartment buildings. The varied facades work together to “coexist and contribute to the Madison Avenue streetscape”, whereas this proposal does not at all engage Madison Avenue or its neighboring buildings.
In addition to the harmful effect this tower would have on the protected historic character of the Upper East Side and Madison Avenue, it would also serve as an incredibly negative precedent for new construction in historic districts citywide. The design intent of this proposal is antithetical to standards upon which the Landmarks Commission regulates the 23,000 properties under its oversight While each new development within a historic neighborhood should be evaluated on its individual merits, this proposal, if approved, so violates the basic standards of appropriateness as to render them essentially meaningless.
Please uphold and protect the character of our city’s historic districts and reject this proposal.
Sincerely,
Name
Address