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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 284-03
October 10, 2003

MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG, CITY COUNCIL SPEAKER GIFFORD MILLER AND LANDMARKS CHAIR ROBERT B. TIERNEY ENCOURAGE NEW YORKERS TO VISIT NEW YORK CITY’S LANDMARK JEWELS AS PART OF OPEN HOUSE NEW YORK

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, City Council Speaker Gifford Miller and Landmarks Preservation Commission Chair Robert B. Tierney today encouraged New Yorkers and visitors to take part in the inaugural Open House New York (OHNY) event on Saturday, October 11th and Sunday, October 12th.  During the two-day celebration of architecture and design, visitors can explore the more than 80 sites throughout the five boroughs, free of charge.  City Hall, Tweed Courthouse, and Gracie Mansion are just a few of the fascinating sites participating in this weekend’s event and are also open to the public year-round by appointment by calling 311.  In addition, the Mayor also announced during his weekly radio address that the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission has revised and updated their Guide to New York City Landmarks, a comprehensive guide to designated landmark and historic districts in all five boroughs. Many of the City’s historic, architectural, and cultural treasures featured in the third edition are open to the public as part of OHNY.

“New York City is proud to participate in the first annual Open House New York, the City’s most extensive celebration of architecture and design,” said Mayor Bloomberg.
“I encourage the public to take advantage of this unique opportunity.  I applaud Open House New York in helping to broaden the public’s interest and for highlighting the many jewels that may be hidden to us as we go about our day-to-day lives. For those of you with a keen interest in the City’s vast array of landmarks and historic districts, I also encourage you to check out our new guide, the perfect companion for any walking tour of this great city.”

“Open House New York is not just about celebrating New York City’s architecture, it’s about inspiring civic pride and creatively promoting tourism,” said Speaker Miller.  “Having this open house means that more New Yorkers and visitors from around the world will have greater access to the architectural treasures across each of the City’s five boroughs.” 

“Open House New York will open the doors of some of New York City’s most treasured landmark buildings to the public, and I am delighted that this event coincides with the release of the Landmarks Commission’s latest Guide to New York City Landmarks,” said Robert B. Tierney, Chair of the Landmarks Preservation Commission.  “After this weekend, New Yorkers can continue to explore landmark buildings in all five boroughs with this guide in hand.”

Through an annual Citywide event and other public programs throughout the year, OHNY will engage the public in New York’s rich architectural, urban, and historical development by providing access to a diverse array of architectural, engineering and design achievements.  In addition to City Hall, Tweed Courthouse and Gracie Mansion, the Department of Parks & Recreation invites visitors to take in the views from the top of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch in Grand Army Plaza, view the underpinnings of the Astoria Pool, and visit the Arsenal, Fort Totten, Highbridge Water Tower, the Little Red Lighthouse, Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Riverside Park, and Washington Square Arch.  In addition, the following historic houses will be open courtesy of the Historic House Trust: Edgar Allen Poe Cottage, King Manor Museum, Kingsland Homestead, Seguine Mansion, the Valentine-Varian House, and the Pieter Claesen Wyckoff House, the oldest building in the City.

Landmark listings in the Guide to New York City Landmarks are organized according to borough, with Governors, Liberty, Ellis, and Roosevelt Islands in a chapter of their own.  There are 1,100 individual landmarks and 79 historic districts listed along with their landmark designation dates and 75 quick-reference maps. Enhancement in the new edition includes sixteen “Of Special Interest” essays that highlight specific aspects of the Commission’s work.

A landmark is defined as a building, property, or object that has been designated by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission because it has a special character or is of special historical or aesthetic interest or value as part of the development, heritage, or cultural characteristics of the city, state, or nation. A property or object is eligible for landmark status when at least part of it is thirty years old or older.  Preservation is now understood to play an integral role in the City’s economy.  New York City’s built environment is a stunning achievement, reflecting nearly four centuries of habitation and cooperation.   

Copies of the Guide to New York City Landmarks (3rd Edition; John Wiley & Sons; October 2003; $24.95) will be available during Open House New York at the CityStore in the Municipal Building, 1 Centre Street in Lower Manhattan, and at your local bookstore, during regular business hours.

“Open House New York will give the public unprecedented access to inspiring and innovative places in neighborhoods throughout the city,” said Scott Lauer, executive director of Open House New York, a private, not-for-profit organization. “This event could not be timelier; with the rebuilding of Lower Manhattan, plans on the table for the 2012 Olympics, and other major building projects, public awareness and interest in architecture and design in New York has never been greater.”

Founded by a group of New Yorkers to raise awareness of New York’s rich architectural heritage, OHNY is being launched as part of the City’s first Architecture Week, which also includes the opening of the AIA NY Chapter’s Center for Architecture, 538 LaGuardia Place, which will serve as the welcome and information center for the OHNY event. For more information about the event and participating sites, visit the OHNY’s website at www.ohny.org.







MEDIA CONTACT:


Ed Skyler / Jennifer Falk   (212) 788-2958

Deborah Kirschner   (OHNY)
(212) 671-5178




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