Preserving the Upper East Side for Over Twenty-Five Years
May 16th, 2010
The Preservation Community came together in a cold rain last Wednesday to show the strength of the Preservation Community and rally for maintained funding for the Landmarks Preservation Commission. On the steps of City Hall, many group leaders spoke about the importance of preservation while surrounded by cheers and signs! FRIENDS was there representing your voice and we hope you can join us next year.
May 5th, 2010
FRIENDS has been reaching more and more schools this spring and one of them was kind enough to write about our visit! We taught our introduction to architecture program, Building Fun, to 1st graders at Chapin in late April, and a photographer accompanied one of our walking tours. Click to read about our visit and the recent success of our program! There is also a link to a photo gallery at the end of their page. To learn more about the programs that we offer to 1st through 5th grades, please visit our education page.
May 3rd, 2010
Please see below the Upper East Side items on the LPC Agenda for Tuesday, May 18, 2010. Public hearings are held in the Conference Room at the Municipal Building, 1 Centre Street, 9th Floor, Borough of Manhattan. Any person requiring reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the hearing or attend the meeting should call or write to the Landmarks Commission no later than five business days before the hearing or meeting. Hearing times are announced on the LPC website, the Friday prior to a hearing.
768-770 Fifth Avenue – Individual and Interior Landmark – LAID OVER
A French Renaissance style hotel (the Plaza) designed by Henry J. Hardenberg and built in 1905-07, with an addition designed by Warren and Wetmore and built in 1921. Application is to alter stairs and replace railings.
12 East 78th Street – Metropolitan Museum Historic District – APPROVED
A neo-Italian Renaissance style rowhouse built in 1886-87. Application is to construct a rooftop and rear yard additions.
Zoned R8B
21 East 66th Street – Upper East Side Historic District – LAID OVER
A neo-Gothic style apartment building designed by Fred F. French Company and built in 1921. Application is to construct a rooftop addition.
Zoned C5-1
730 Park Avenue – Upper East Side Historic District – WITHDRAWN
A neo-Renaissance/neo-Jacobean style apartment building designed by Lafayette A. Goldstone and built in 1929. Application is to replace windows.
910 Fifth Avenue – Upper East Side Historic District – APPROVED
An apartment building designed by Fred F. French, built in 1919, and altered by Sylvan Bien in 1958-59. Application is to install new windows.
57 East 75th Street – Upper East Side Historic District – LAID OVER
A Brutalist style apartment building designed by William B. Gleckman and built in 1973-1979. Application is to modify window openings.
1056 Fifth Avenue – Carnegie Hill Historic District – LAID OVER
A modern style apartment building designed by George F. Pelham and built in 1948. Application is to enclose a terrace.
Zoned R10/R8-B
Apr 29th, 2010
FRIENDS is pleased to announce that our voice was heard and the proposal to cover 26 tennis courts in Central Park with inflatable bubbles has been withdrawn! FRIENDS went to bat on this proposal at the April 15th Community Board 8 meeting, where we spoke out against the bubbles and urged the committee to reverse an earlier decision in support of the proposal. Thankfully, the Community Board listened and revoked their initial vote in favor of the plan. We also enlisted your help to sign an online petition and write to our city officials. These efforts joined the growing voice of several preservation groups who opposed the plan. Thanks to our passionate supporters, Central Park will be saved from air, noise, and light pollution, the “privatizing” of the courts through increased playing fees, and the visual destruction of the oasis that Frederick Law Olmsted designed the park to be. It goes to show that a few mighty little groups can make a big difference for the future of our city! This story was featured today in the Wall Street Journal, as well as the NY Post.
Apr 21st, 2010
Please see below the Upper East Side items on the LPC Agenda for Tuesday, May 4, 2010. Public hearings are held in the Conference Room at the Municipal Building, 1 Centre Street, 9th Floor, Borough of Manhattan. Any person requiring reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the hearing or attend the meeting should call or write to the Landmarks Commission no later than five business days before the hearing or meeting. Hearing times are announced on the LPC website, the Friday prior to a hearing.
135 East 65th Street, aka 868-870 Lexington Avenue – Upper East Side Historic District – NO ACTION
A neo-Federal style rowhouse designed by Edwin Outwater and built in 1903-1904. Application is to construct a rooftop addition.
57 East 75th Street – Upper East Side Historic District
A Brutalist style apartment building designed by William B. Gleckman and
built in 1973-1979. Application is to modify window openings.
