From The Real Deal:A group of preservationists plans to submit a request to the Landmarks Preservation Commission to designate the Hudson River Powerhouse as a landmark. The 105-year-old building on West 59th Street, between 11th and 12th avenues, provided power for the city's first subway and still provides steam to customers of Con Edison, which owns the property. The building has been considered for landmark status twice before, in 1979 and 1991, and Con Ed opposed landmark designation on both occasions because it would delay obtaining permits if the company wanted to make modifications to the building.
Don't let this happen to your powerhouse, Manhattan!
13 comments:
One difference is the LPC will work with the community in Manhattan.
Queens?
You wake up one morning to find the school across the street, the fire plug down the block is landmarked, no need to sully the system by showing up Queens.
We will tell you when to speak and where to stand at the 'public' hearing if you can be trusted to follow the script.
That former powerhouse was built for the IRT, at the time, it was the largest generator building in the world. Output was 25Hz AC.
The comparison here is flawed. The Queens site was decommissioned and sold...the 59th site remains active.
Why wasn't it landmarked before it was decommissioned and sold? Why not after? Does it matter? Con Ed isn't thrilled with the idea of landmarking the Manhattan site either. Let's remember that landmarking is supposed to be about who owns it but the integrity of the architecture.
Wadda ya expect?
It's a tale of 2 burros...
Tierney & Betts!
Manhattan gets while Queens gets F----D!
The underlying problem is that Chairman Tierney is basically a lawyer with no preservation credentials so
Mary Beth Betts is running the LPC
for bumbling Bob and the rest or its commissioners.
She has become its gatekeeper.
And if this stubby little dyke/troll doesn't like you...well...hell hath no fury like this "woman's" scorn!
Out in the cold with you!
Who cares or want to focus on Manhattan; the less issues LPC has about Manhattan, the more it can focus on Queens we we need it to be. Not the LPC wants to work with anything Queens may have.
Its sad that our industrial might is disappearing in front of our eyes. Does anyone else find it depressing that buildings that no one can afford are replacing working powerhouses and docks.
Remember when the factories were creating necessary goods and jobs? Remember when the docks brought the commerce of the world too and from New York?
I know things change, but I want to see the "factories" and "docks" of the future, in other words, manufacture and transportation. Pretty buildings that no one can afford are potemkin villages. I don't care what borough they are in, they are a sign of decadence and rot.
The point of bringing up Manhattan is to contrast it with what we get from the LPC in Queens....ZILCH/SHIT!
Queens has become the wild west of tear-downs and with that goes our history!
Queens clubhouse pols...
SIMPLY DON'T SUPPORT LANDMARKING BEYOND LIP SERVICE!
Manes...followed by Shulman wrote the book on it!
Joe Crowley nods in compliance.
As long as HIS AND OTHER FELLOW RATS' campaign contributions come from developers all we'll see is more token designations like firehouses and WPA era public swimming pools.
BECAUSE THEY DON'T STAND IN THE WAY OF DEVELOPMENT!
The problem is not with the LPC, but with the landmark community. They might write grants as if they serve the five boroughs, but they only take care of Manhattan.
The leadership of preservation in Queens sucks, because they let this happen.
I want to see this topic at the next HDC conference.
If not, Queens should boycott paying dues and supporting organizations that do not address out concerns.
Nevermind landmarking, that plant should be left in service as long as it is needed - which should be forever.
Con Ed has, in recent years, bulldozed a power plant in Brooklyn (navy yard), and done the same in manhattan (waterside, used to be next to the UN).
Where have the new plants been built?
Queens.
Con Ed: stop dumping on Queens with your power plants, and keep the ones you have. Assholes.
True dat!
The problem does start at the "preservation" community level beginning with ALL...yes I SAID ALL...of the numerous historical societies!
STARTING AT QUEENS' WESTERN SHORES
ON THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE BOROUGH AND WAY OUT TO ITS EASTERN LEAFY ENVIRONS.
Now...does that include your society or are you the sole exception?
Maybe I should be more specific and perhaps name some of the more egregiously lax historical societies.
Thank you Mr. Angry. I thank you from the bottom of my *cough*, *cough*
lungs.
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