NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION CENTER AND NEW YORK CITY LANDMARKS PRESERVATION COMMISSION LAUNCH WEB SERVICE FOR CITY’S LANDMARKS

Database Will Include Reports on 23,000 of New York City’s Iconic Neighborhoods, Properties and Structures

The Neighborhood Preservation Center (NPC), a project of the St. Mark’s Historic Landmark Fund and the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) today unveiled a new online service that allows users to easily find information about properties across the five boroughs that have been designated as New York City landmarks.  St. Mark’s Historic Landmark Fund Trustee Katherine Moore, LPC Chairman Robert B. Tierney and NPC Associate Erin O’Brien introduced the service this morning to the City’s preservation community at a breakfast held at the Center in the East Village.

The service is the result of an ongoing partnership between the Center and the Commission to create the online database of every LPC designation report written since 1965, when the Commission was established. The meticulously researched reports provide the basis for regulating changes to properties that have been designated as New York City landmarks. They explain the architectural, historical and cultural importance and describe the significant features of each one at the time of designation.

“We are thrilled to be working with the Preservation Commission on this exciting project. Now, everyone who is curious about New York’s unique and fascinating architectural and cultural history has this invaluable research tool right at their fingertips.” said Neighborhood Preservation Center Director Felicia Mayro.

“Both of our organizations worked very long, very hard and very well together on this project,” said LPC Chairman Robert B. Tierney. “The database, when completed, will be an excellent resource not only for the preservation community, but to anyone who wants to know more about the iconic structures that define our great City.”

The database, which is searchable by keyword, will soon provide printable PDF copies of the entire collection of New York City individual and historic district designation reports.  The first installment of reports—those from 1965—is now available at www.neighborhoodpreservationcenter.org, and will be accessible on the LPC website at www.nyc.gov/landmarks.

Now in its seventh year, the Neighborhood Preservation Center is the only resource of its kind in New York City solely dedicated to encouraging and facilitating citizen participation in the improvement and protection of the City’s diverse neighborhoods. The Center offers meeting rooms, office spaces and an online resource database and library.  The project was developed in partnership with the Historic Districts Council and the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation.  Both organizations’ offices are located in the building, as well. 

The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission is the largest municipal preservation agency in the United States. Since its creation in 1965, the Commission has designated nearly 23,000 buildings in all five boroughs, including 1,145 individual landmarks, 107 interior landmarks, nine scenic landmarks and 85 historic districts.

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