Sunday, March 28, 2010

Fear not: more of Manhattan landmarked

Great news, folks. The LPC has calendared 6 more Manhattan buildings and extended the Upper East Side Historic District! Thank goodness. I was worried that Manhattan didn't have enough designations. This improves my quality of life so much!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

WHY IS MANHATTAN GETTING YET MORE LANDMARKS, AND QUEENS IS GOING NOWHERE:

Dear Friend of Preservation,
The Queens Preservation Council, which is made up of preservation advocates from throughout the borough,

THE WHO?!?! THE WHAT?!!?!

will be holding a free outreach event tentatively scheduled for Thursday, May 27, 2010. The plan is to hold it at Queens Borough Hall, Room 213 from approximately 6 to 8 PM.

GREAT PLACE FOR A QUEENS PRESERVATION POW-WOW, BORO HALL.

ALTHOUGH IT’S A PUBLIC PLACE, ITS BY INVITE ONLY – ONLY THE ‘RIGHT’ (FAWNING?) PEOPLE NEED APPLY! LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE – ITS FREE. THEY ARE NOT CHARGING FOR USE OF A PUBLIC SPACE. CREATIVE, NO?

This reception will give an opportunity for people to meet and network with other preservationists from all over Queens.

LIKE WE DON’T KNOW EACH OTHER ALREADY? IS YET ANOTHER TIRESOME MEET AND GREET AN EFFECTIVE USE OF OUR TIME AS WE LISTEN TO THE SAME TIRED ‘CREATIVE’ PEOPLE LEAD US YET ON ANOTHER ‘PRODUCTIVE’ YEAR?

There will also be an opportunity to display materials and flyers at tables at the event. We are still in the process of organizing and further details will be sent when available.

OH GREAT, MORE ‘VIBRANT’, MORE ‘DIVERSE’, MORE ‘UNDERGROUND RAILROAD.’

We would like to arrange for a keynote speaker for the event and it has been suggested that since the borough president is planning on appointing a new borough historian sometime soon, we may ask that person to address the participants at the reception.

WE WOULD LIKE … IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED … WE MAY ASK … OH PLEASE SIR, ANOTHER CRUST OF BREAD, SIR …

THAT IS JUST THE TONE WE NEED TO SET ... JUST THE SORT OF BACKBONE WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR TO TAKE ON THE MACHINE AND DEVELOPERS WHO ARE WANTONING DESTROYING OUR BORO AS THE REST OF THE CITY STUMBLES FORWARD.

THE LOCAL PRESERVATION COMMUNITY IS SUCH A FACTOR IN THE DESCISION MAKING PROCESS OF QUEENS.

Of course, that depends on how fast the selection process goes, so we may need to arrange for a different speaker.

ALTHOUGH WE DON’T REALLY HAVE A BIG GENE POOL TO DRAW FROM WE CAN’T RUSH THE PROCESS OF THE BOROUGH PRESIDENT’S APPOINTMENT. AFTER ALL, IT IS HER ONE OPPORTUNITY TO NOTICE THE GROUP UNTIL THE NEXT BORO HISTORIAN HAS TO BE SELECTED – EVEN THO HER OFFICE IS JUST A FEW STEPS DOWN THE HALL.

NO RUSH. AFTER A GENERATION THAT WENT THROUGH THE TENDERS MERCIES OF HANK LUDDER AND STANLEY COGAN WE WANT IT RIGHT THIS TIME. CERTAINLY BIG SHOES TO BE FILLED THERE …

At this point, the members of the Queens Preservation Council wanted to know your opinion about holding such an event.

Our members are reaching out to concerned community people throughout the borough. Do you feel that such an event is a worthwhile effort? Do you have any suggestions?

DO YOU HAVE ANY NEW IDEAS? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS? DO YOU – OH FORGET IT.

Anonymous said...

ONLY THE ‘RIGHT’ (FAWNING?) PEOPLE NEED APPLY!

THE SAME TIRED ‘CREATIVE’ PEOPLE LEAD US YET ON ANOTHER ‘PRODUCTIVE’ YEAR?

THE LOCAL PRESERVATION COMMUNITY IS SUCH A FACTOR IN THE DESCISION MAKING PROCESS OF QUEENS.
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This the point bub. They are the perfect vehicle to be the 'offical' spokespeople ensuring that the grassroots are drowned out.

Anonymous said...

They are closing hospitals in Queens and using our taxes to support the rich people in landmarked districts in Manhattan.

The place where the people that are closing our hospitals live.

Anonymous said...

Remember the NYS Pavilion!

Anonymous said...

Well, most of landmark-worthy New York happens to be in Manhattan. Duh. Are we supposed to be surprised and outraged by this "news"?

Queens Crapper said...

By whose standards? Duh.

"Queens P C" said...

Silly boy! We have Queens Marks and Manhattan doesn't!
Well, most of landmark-worthy New York happens to be in Manhattan. Duh. Are we supposed to be surprised and outraged by this "news"?
-----

We will not respond to this. You don't sound polite so we can't talk to you, and besides, we might have to hear what our borough president says before we commit any position.

Maybe, if there is a consensus, we might discuss this once the borough historian is picked for us.

Queens Crapper said...

"The Landmarks Law requires that, to be designated, a potential landmark must be at least 30 years old and must possess "a special character or special historical or aesthetic interest or value as part of the development, heritage, or cultural characteristics of the city, state, or nation."

So can you explain why time after time, worthy outer borough properties are rejected when they meet this criteria, yet Manhattan buildings with less of a case for landmarking are found to meet the criteria?

It's called discrimination. Four fifths of the city definitely has more "extant historic fabric" than one fifth. To claim otherwise is just stupid.

Your Spinelessness Brings It On said...

We all know that the problem here is the historians and civic activists in Queens.

After seeing the antics of a Corey B or a Hank L, and the blind bland acceptance of it by Queeens, you can consider the other four boroughs as bullies who can beat up and spit on Queens at will.

You know that Queens will say and do nothing (its ok to be a doormat, but being a POLITE doormat makes things ok.) All wordlessly look to borough hall hopelessly for help as they get pummeled.

A look that (they fully know) never will be answered.