Tuesday, January 11, 2011

City Council to overturn Queens landmark designation

From HDC:

If everything goes as expected, by 1pm on January 11, 2011, the Borough of Queens will be well on the way to having one less designated landmark, thanks to City Council.

On October 26, 2010, at a hearing proudly proclaimed as “Queens Day”, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted unanimously to designate Grace Episcopal Church Memorial Hall as one of the 68 individual landmarks in the borough. The two-story red-brick and limestone Tudor Revival building was completed in 1912 by the architecture firm of Upjohn and Constable for use as gymnasium, auditorium, meeting rooms and offices. It is the final piece of one of the most historic church complexes in New York City – the other parts of which (Grace Episcopal Church, 1861-62 and enlarged in 1901-02 and the adjacent graveyard, opened 1734) are both individual landmarks – and an important signifier of the role of the church in Jamaica as it expanded from solely providing religious services to include educational and social services for its community. LPC Chairman Robert Tierney stated, “This picturesque structure was built to serve as a powerful link to the church’s historic past, and secure a promising future. This parish hall nurtured and sustained this important congregation for almost 100 years, and its designation helps to assure its role will continue.” Unfortunately, the congregation doesn’t seem to agree.

Despite not bothering to appear at the public hearing about the hall in February (which they admit they were properly notified about), and despite the City Planning Commission’s analysis that the designation would enable them to sell 314,000 square feet of development rights which could go to approximately 20 nearby receiving sites, they’re not having it. So they reached out to their local Council member James Gennaro who stated “I’m going to be opposing it. More attention should be focused on the financial impacts of landmarking on nonprofit institutions.” Council member Leroy Comrie, who also represents part of Jamaica and is the chair of the City Council’s powerful Land Use Committee also stated to HDC that he would oppose the designation and that is frankly that.

Let’s forget about any lengthy discussions of the merit of the designation or the “financial” implications of landmarking. That really has no place at the public hearing. Most council members are going to vote with the recommendation of the local representative; it makes no sense to do otherwise in the communal environment of democratic government where you depend on the votes of other members to approve projects in your local district. 314,000 square feet of air-rights? What does that really mean when you have to fix your slate roof? In point of fact, St. Thomas the Apostle on Fifth Avenue received over $14 million to go towards building maintenance for some of their air rights in 2008 although, in full disclosure, we weren’t pleased with the proposed development that resulted.

Regardless, we aren’t the decision-makers here, nor are other groups who showed up to support this designation at the Landmarks Commission, nor is the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation who supported this in writing nor Queens Borough President Helen Marshall or State Senator Shirley Huntley who did also. The congregation is in control and the congregation doesn’t want designation, therefore it’s not going to happen, Q.E.D.

To be fair, this unfortunate scenario is well within the allowed-for practice of governmental power. It is the Council’s right to ask whether the power to designate a property as a landmark should be exercised, and there is no required assessment or measurement (political calculation notwithstanding). So the moral of today’s story is “When embarking on a community proposal, get your elected officials onboard early and contact them often.” Remember, if they’re not partners in your campaign, they might be partners in somebody else’s.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gennaro = sellout

What an ass.

Anonymous said...

How about Steinway Mansion?

NY Post

Anonymous said...

Both Borough Hall and the Queens Historian are silent.

How can either party have any creditibilty in Queens if they remain mute?

And, it the entire borough of Queens looks the other way without comment do we sustain their actions?

There are a number of institutions that cover the Jamaica community: Queens Civic Congress, Queens Preservation Council, the Four Boroughs Preservation.

What do they have to say about this?

It is inexcusable that the preservation community cannot find cogent arguents to counter such views - and people like Gennaro - or - even worse - that they remain silent when a gross injustice like this is carried out.

Citywide organizations like Historic District Council suggest that the only remedy we have is to try to convince our representatives on the merits of preservation.

It might work in Brooklyn Heights. Maybe along the High Line. But throughout most of the city it is advice that is simply of no use.

The only consequence is to send you on a fools errand. If you work within that system, you wake up one day tired and discouraged.

You drop out - and perhaps thats the point. Its a tidy way to keep things polite and quiet. Not too many 150 year old buildings scream.

But the problem is not you. Its the system.

That are some serious shortcomings in the landmarking process - and the distinct imbalance this creates between boroughs and communities is simply unacceptable.

The system has to be torn down and rebuilt.

Its broken. Accept it.

Anonymous said...

See it now before it joins all the landmarks of Old Astoria.

Anonymous said...

Or St Saviours in a crate!

Anonymous said...

I want the Dragon Boat docks as well as the first Asian fruit stand in Flushing landmarked!

Anonymous said...

Why stop there?

You have the first gay club in Jackson Heights and the first Colombian Record Store under the el .... somewhere ....

Anonymous said...

How about the Underground Railroad guided tour that includes yards and sidings and spurs and the whole nine yards.

Anonymous said...

How about the Underground Railroad guided tour that includes yards and sidings and spurs and the whole nine yards.

Ah, is that where Junction Blvd got its name?

Anonymous said...

I donno, go ask Queen Catherine.

Anonymous said...

Queens: a place without a past and without a future, only a present.

Sergey Kadinsky said...

Gennaro never responds to my letters, even when I hand deliver them to my office. The letter was related to the topic of preservation.

Anonymous said...

The only consequence is to send you on a fools errand. If you work within that system, you wake up one day tired and discouraged.

You drop out - and perhaps thats the point. Its a tidy way to keep things polite and quiet. Not too many 150 year old buildings scream.

But the problem is not you. Its the system.

That are some serious shortcomings in the landmarking process - and the distinct imbalance this creates between boroughs and communities is simply unacceptable.

The system has to be torn down and rebuilt.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

And if you don't show up, who's going to tear down the system?