Calendar of Events

Thursday, February 17, 2022

6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Free

Via Zoom

Please join the Historic Districts Council on February 17th at 6 p.m for an informative advocacy forum. Panelists will address the urgent preservation issues arising from the proposed Penn Station Area development and share calls to action to help us all make our voices heard in opposition to the plan.

We are honored to be joined by some of our most passionate partners in the fight, including HDC Advisor George Calderaro; Layla Law-Gisiko, Chair of Community Board 5’s Landmarks Committee; Brad Vogel, noted preservationist and attorney, who is a member of the City Club of New York’s Preservation Committee; and Seri Worden, Senior Field Director in New York City for the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

George Calderaro is a board member of several preservation organizations including the Historic Districts Council, the 29th Street Neighborhood Association, the Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts, the Art Deco Society New York, and the Victorian Society of New York. He is also Founding Director of the Tin Pan Alley American Popular Music Project.

Layla Law-Gisiko is the Chair of Manhattan Community Board #5’s Landmarks Committee, and a candidate for NYS Assembly AD75.

Brad Vogel is a member of the City Club of New York’s Preservation Committee. An attorney and preservationist wearing several hats, he has been active in multiple citywide fights against misguided land use actions, including the Gowanus and Governors Island rezonings.

Seri Worden is the Senior Field Director in New York City for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, providing on the ground expertise for the national organization, and leading high-profile projects including the Tidal Basin Ideas Lab and the Historic Neighborhoods of Philadelphia. She has nearly 20 years of experience in historic preservation, urban planning, and nonprofit leadership.

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

5:00-6:00 pm

Free

Via Zoom

In honor of Black History Month, join Dr. Keith Taylor, President of the Dorrance Brooks Property Owners and Residents Association, as he traces the societal forces and history of the movement of African Americans in New York City from their communities in Lower Manhattan to Harlem, and beyond. He will explore the challenges they faced, as well as notable contributions they made to the life and vitality of the city. This will lead up to the Harlem Renaissance, its importance to New York’s African American population, and its subsequent influence on future civil and human rights struggles.

Dr. Taylor was his neighborhood’s representative to the Historic Districts Council’s 2018 Six to Celebrate program, and is an HDC 2020 Grassroots Preservation Award winner. He is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Law, Police Science, and Criminal Justice Administration at John Jay College. A native New Yorker, he served as a public safety professional for 26 years, retiring as an assistant commissioner.

Join the Historic Districts Council and Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts for an exclusive look at the HBO hit, THE GILDED AGE

Tuesday, March 1, 2022
6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Via Zoom

Production Designer Bob Shaw and Location Manager Lauri Pitkus will join Lorna Nowvé, Interim Executive Director of the Historic Districts Council, and Rachel Levy, Executive Director of the Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts, as they explore the extensive research and challenging logistics involved in bringing Gilded Age New York City to life.

We will discover how the magic of moviemaking led to the creation of some of the series’ exquisite locations and other behind-the-scenes secrets.

Registrants will receive a special link to watch episodes 1-4 online, courtesy of HBO. (Your email address will not be used for HBO marketing purposes.)