Upper East Side Historic District To Expand
Jun 15th, 2010
By Dan Rivoli
Nearly a decade since the Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts completed its first survey on expanding the UES landmark district, the proposal has been approved.
The City Council voted June 9 to include 74 buildings along Lexington Avenue in the historic district. The expansion would cover two chunks of Lexington Avenue, one between East 63rd and 65th streets, and another from East 71st to 76th streets.
“Friends of the Upper East Side as well as people who live in the community and partners in preservation felt it contributed to a ‘sense of place’ and community in the Upper East Side,” said executive director Tara Kelly. “It’s got its own unique character.”
Council Member Dan Garodnick, who was an early supporter of the expansion, helped convince the landmark preservation commission to include the southern part of Lexington Avenue in the proposal.
“The historical storefronts on Lexington Avenue deserve the same protection as the elegant row houses, town houses and mansions on Fifth and Madison that have defined the area for the past century,” Garodnick said. “This is an important step to give them the recognition that they deserve.”
