Friday, May 31, 2013

Here's what historic district status gets you...

When you want to construct a building in a historic district, the LPC has to approve the design to make sure it fits in. This guarantees that the area will remain a crap-free zone.

We all know what this one in Jackson Heights would have looked like had that review not taken place.

From Brownstoner Queens:
The site was formerly a one-story retail building that burned down, and the the Landmarks Preservation Commission reviewed the redevelopment plan in 2010, which resulted in changes to the windows and new setbacks from the street. The new project will have ground floor retail space, and one of the tenants is rumored to be Jackson Heights Health Store, which is currently in a smaller space.

6 comments:

Jerry Rotondi said...

In stark contrast--
take a look at downtown Flushing, and see what not having a historic district doesn't get you!

Who might we blame for that besides the LPC?
CB7, and our elected official (bench warmers)--
of course.

Oops, I forgot to extend the blame to you voters for electing these hucksters, and keeping them in their positions.

:) have a nice day!

Anonymous said...

Big deal!
Stray outside the historic district into "Little India" the retail district of schmutz and schmattas (filth and rags).

Anonymous said...

My cousin lives on 79th Street north of 37th Ave.

Their landmark co-op building was recently handed an additional $25,000 bill to replace windows with historically appropriate ones.

How much can the front windows in a 4 story narrow structure cost? These are not complicated designs.

Each owner must pay their fair share of the tab.

Landmarking can be a mixed (expensive) blessing.

Anonymous said...

Landmarking is clearly a blessing.

I do not listen to the media, politicians, city officials. No Queens Tribune or George Onorato for me.

I listen to the people that live in those districts.

Not only has no district ever voted to get rid of a designation, in the higher income - better educated areas residents actually are looking to expand them.

Would be nice if one of the Queens locals or politicians reported that fact, eh?

Anonymous said...

Can you AFFORD to be one of the people who live in these historic districts?

What's your annual income, fella?

From $200 per window replacement jacked up to $800 per window will be your new expense.

I love historic districts but I cannot afford to live in one with its expensive restrictions.

It's a matter of PURE ECONOMICS.
If you're a high roller...good for you!
That's reality and it bites!

Anonymous said...

The people who live in the JH historic district are far from "high rollers". They are middle class people looking to live in a decent place and protect their modest investments. And living in the JH historic district is not like living in Forest Hills Gardens, as the surrounding neighborhoods bleed into the district with garbage, noise and illegal conversions. Please do not over romaticize the JH district, just respect and appreciate it.