Clockwise from top left: Kingsbridge Armory, image courtesy FXCollaborative Architects; Powerhouse Arts, photo courtesy Albert Vecerka/ESTO; (Former) Whitney Museum of American Art, photo by Stefan Ruiz courtesy Sotheby's; Terminal Warehouse, photo courtesy COOKFOX Architects-Alex Ferrec
The Commission has been busy with many notable projects that are helping create new housing for New Yorkers, enhance the city's iconic cultural institutions, and drive economic growth citywide. Thanks to the dedication of Vice Chair Angie Master and all of the Commissioners, many important applications have been approved, including:
Transfer of Development Rights applications: Landmark buildings have been able to transfer unused development rights to adjacent lots, but it was a long and complicated process, resulting in only 15 transfers in 50 years. City of Yes for Housing Opportunity made it easier to transfer development rights from landmark buildings, and LPC has already approved three applications. LPC approved applications from Powerhouse Arts in Gowanus (Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company Central Power Station Engine House), 361 Broadway (the James White Building), and the Metropolitan Club building in Manhattan. Such transfers ensure the long-term preservation of these landmark buildings while also creating new housing opportunities.
Residential conversion of 257-263 Washington in Brooklyn's Clinton Hill Historic District: The Commission approved modest additions and other work that will allow for the adaptive reuse of the former St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church, preserving the site's historic character while supporting its transformation into an apartment building.
Left: Commissioners visit Terminal Warehouse; Right: LPC Senior Landmarks Preservationist Caroline Pasion and LPC Executive Director Lisa Kersavage cut the ribbon in DUMBO, photo courtesy NYC DEP;
And several LPC-approved projects are now complete:
Terminal Warehouse, which is nearing completion of a major adaptation to a commercial workspace: In November, LPC Vice Chair Angie Master, LPC Commissioners Michael Goldblum, Everardo Jefferson, Erasmus Ikpemgbe, and Stephen Michael Wilder, and LPC staff joined COOKFOX Architects, Columbia Property Trust, and L&L Holding Company for a visit to the site, which is located in the West Chelsea Historic District, to view progress at the landmark site. In 2020, LPC approved work, including rooftop additions and the creation of a courtyard at the historic terminal and storage facility. The project included a major restoration component, including retaining a 670-foot train tunnel running through its ground floor
LPC joined agency partners DDC, DOT, and DEP to celebrate the completion of a $108 Million infrastructure project that completed a historic restoration of 26 blocks in Brooklyn's DUMBO neighborhood. As part of the project, LPC approved work in the DUMBO and Vinegar Hill Historic Districts to update pedestrian walkways and roadbeds, enhancing safety and accessibility while preserving the neighborhoods' historic industrial character and distinct sense of place through the careful removal, storage, and reinstallation of the historic Belgian block, along with the use of new paving materials designed to harmonize with the area's historic streetscape
Together, the buildings help tell the full story of the Garment District's historic development, the people who worked here, and the industry that was one of the most important engines of New York's economy.
LPC's designation of these buildings was done in coordination with the Department of City Planning's Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan, adopted by City Council in August, which will allow for the creation of nearly 10,000 new homes across 42 blocks of Midtown South where housing was previously largely prohibited.
New Historic Preservation Grant Program Recipients and Completed Projects Announced
On October 24th, LPC announced three new grants provided through our Historic Preservation Grant Program (HPGP) to landmark sites in Staten Island, Brooklyn, and Queens – and celebrated the completion of restoration work for previous grant awardees, including several in Brooklyn's Alice and Agate Courts Historic District.
The grant program provides critical funding and ongoing support for low-to-moderate-income homeowners and non-profit organizations looking to repair and restore their landmark properties.
Online Exhibit of Dutch Architectural Artifacts from NYC Archaeological Repository Launched
On October 16th, LPC launched a new online exhibit, "Old World Architecture in New Amsterdam," offering a glimpse into life in Colonial New York. The latest in a series of initiatives celebrating LPC's 60th anniversary, the new digital exhibit features architectural artifacts from Dutch New Amsterdam.
Connecting with Landmark Property Owners in Staten Island
On October 30th, LPC and the New York Landmarks Conservancy (NYLC) hosted a virtual information session with landmark property owners from Staten Island's St. George/New Brighton and St. Paul's Avenue-Stapleton Heights Historic Districts, answering questions and sharing helpful information about LPC's permit process and grant program, as well as NYLC loan opportunities.
Interested in having LPC host an info session in your historic district? Email info@lpc.nyc.gov for more information.
Unveiling new historic plaques
On November 6th, LPC Executive Director Lisa Kersavage joined the FDNY and the New York Landmarks Preservation Foundation (NYLPF) to unveil a new plaque commemorating the Bronx's Engine Company 88/Ladder Company 38 Firehouse, which has served the Belmont community since it opened in 1908, and was designated as an individual landmark in 2023. Members from Engine 88/Ladder 38 and community supporters gathered for the ceremony, which featured music by the FDNY's Emerald Society and heartfelt tributes honoring this remarkable historic firehouse and the generations who have cared for it with pride for more than a century.
On October 11th, LPC Director of Community and Intergovernmental Affairs Steven Thomson joined NYLPF, Coney Island USA, Councilmember Justin Brannan, Assemblymember Alec Brook Krasny, and staff from Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton's office to unveil a new plaque honoring the Childs Restaurant Building at 1208 Surf Avenue. The site was acquired in 2008 by Coney Island USA, the non-profit cultural arts organization dedicated to preserving Coney Island's history and culture, and designated by LPC as an individual landmark in 2011.
Touring Billion Oyster Project
This past summer, staff, interns, and volunteers at LPC's Archaeological Repository catalogued the most significant historic, Colonial-era, oyster shells for the repository's collection and donated the remainder to Billion Oyster Project to support their vital work. On November 14th, LPC staff had the opportunity to tour the Billion Oyster Project, located in Governors Island Historic District, to learn more about their important efforts to restore NYC's oyster reefs.
