Gansevoort Goes National!
MEATPACKING DISTRICT APPROVED FOR LISTING ON STATE & NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
Listing Offers Prestige, Grants and Tax Breaks for Preservation of Historic Buildings; Culminates 6-Year Campaign To Preserve Historic Neighborhood by Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation
Manhattan – New York State Parks Commissioner Carol Ash today approved the listing of the entire Meatpacking District on the State and National Register of Historic Places. The district, known as the Gansevoort Market District, was nominated by the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, which also succeeded in getting much of the neighborhood landmarked by New York City in 2003. The Meatpacking District is one of the last surviving market neighborhoods in New York City, containing a rich array of 19th and early 20th century commercial and vernacular architecture.
While landmark designation protects some of the neighborhood’s historic buildings from being demolished, listing on the State and National Register of Historic Places entitles property owners to tax breaks and grants for preserving their historic buildings. Since the State and National Register District is significantly larger than the New York City landmark district (see map at www.gvshp.org/Gansevoort_state_register.htm ), the listing brings incentives for preserving historic buildings to unprotected areas of the Meatpacking District, while offering owners in landmarked areas financial assistance for complying with landmarks preservation requirements.
The State and National Registers of Historic Places are the official lists of buildings, structures, districts, objects, and sites significant in the history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture of New York and the nation (see http://nysparks.state.ny.us/shpo/register/historic_places.htm for more information).
The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP) began the process of nominating the Meatpacking District for listing on the State and National Register of Historic Places in 2001. In 2000, GVSHP’s Save Gansevoort Market Task Force, led by Jo Hamilton and Florent Morellet, was formed to advocate for preservation of this endangered neighborhood through landmarking, State and National Register listing, and other means.
“This is a new and important tool in our ongoing fight to preserve the history and character of the Meatpacking District,” stated Andrew Berman, Executive Director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation. “Four years ago, our successful efforts to landmark much of this neighborhood prevented the wholesale demolition of the Meatpacking District. Now, State and National Register listing will provide opportunities for tax breaks and grants to owners to preserve and restore their historic buildings. Since this covers a much larger area than the City’s landmark district, it will go even further in helping to ensure the preservation of this vital neighborhood’s history,” added Berman.
“The addition of the Gansevoort District to the State and National Historic Registries highlights what local residents and businesses already know: This neighborhood thrives on its unique and historic character. Furthermore, I am thrilled that this designation will provide incentives for rehabilitation work done in the area, so that the historic character can be maintained for years to come,” stated State Senator Tom Duane, who supported the nomination to the NY State Historic Preservation Board.
GVSHP’s nomination of the Meatpacking District for the State and National Registers of Historic Places is an 82-page document detailing the entire history of the neighborhood as well as that of each individual building within it. The nomination can be viewed at www.gvshp.org/documents/GansevoortStateandNationalRegisternomination.pdf_000.pdf
Pictures of the newly designated Gansevoort Market State and National Register Historic District can be viewed at www.gvshp.org/GansStateRegPhotos.htm .
For more information about GVSHP’s efforts to preseerve the Meatpacking District, see www.gvshp.org/GansvBlbd.htm, www.gvshp.org/gansevoortdesignated.htm , and www.gvshp.org/gansevoort.htm .