Dear ChairTierney,
As part of the environmental review for the East Midtown rezoning plan which was recently certified, the Landmarks Preservation Commission determined the following properties within the project area to be eligible for designation as New York City individual landmarks:
- 16 East 41st Street (American Encaustic Tiling Company)
- 18-20 East 41st Street
- 22-24 East 41st Street
- 50-52 East 41st Street (Chemist Club)
- 60 East 42nd Street (Lincoln Building)
- 100 East 42nd Street (Pershing Square Building)
- 6 East 45th Street (Title Guarantee and Trust Company)
- 45 East 45th Street (Roosevelt Hotel)
- 17 East 47th Street (Mercantile Library)
- 18-20 East 50th Street (former Grand Rapids Furniture Company/NYHRC)
- 125 East 50th Street aka 557 Lexington Avenue (former Hotel Beverly/Benjamin Hotel)
- 39 East 51st Street
- 3 East 53rd Street (Samuel Paley Plaza)
- 19 East 54th Street (Minnie Young Residence)
- 57 East 55th Street (former Martin Erdmann Residence/Friar’s Club)
- 420 Lexington Avenue (Graybar Building)
- 509-511 Lexington Avenue (Lexington Hotel)
- 525 Lexington Avenue (former Shelton Club Hotel/Halloran House)
- 299 Madison Avenue
- 400 Madison Avenue
- 437 Madison Avenue (ITT-American Building)
- 503 Madison Avenue
- 118 Park Avenue (Phillip Morris Headquarters)
- 200 Park Avenue (former Pan Am/Met Life Building)
- 250 Park Avenue (Postum Building)
- 270 Park Avenue (Union Carbide Building)
- 417 Park Avenue
- 445 Park Avenue (former Paramount Pictures/Universal Pictures Building)
- 830 Third Avenue (Girl Scout Building)
- 884 Third Avenue aka 601 Lexington Avenue (Citicorp Center)
- 50 Vanderbilt Avenue (Yale Club)
While individually our organizations submitted have numerous buildings for landmark consideration which do not appear on this final list, we feel strongly that the Landmarks Preservation Commission should move swiftly on those buildings which the agency has identified.
As you are very aware, another property in the project area, the former Hoffman Auto Showroom at 430 Park Avenue, was destroyed by its owner after being alerted to the LPC’s interest in it. Given the extreme development expectations which the proposed rezoning places upon buildings in the area, we urge LPC to act quickly to protect the buildings which have been identified as potential meritorious, by scheduling a public hearing to discuss them as soon as possible.
We would greatly appreciate an opportunity to discuss preservation strategies in this important area in greater detail and will be following up to helpfully schedule a meeting soon.
Sincerely,
HDC
NYLC
MAS