DISTRICT LINES news and views of the historic districts council winter 2004 volume XVII number 3 p.1 ~ In the Shadow of 9/11: Planned Fulton Street Transit Center Threatens Historic Buildings p.2 ~ President’s Column p.4 ~ City House Prices Rise in Districts p. 4 ~ Staten Island’s Good Shepherd p.5 ~ Grassroots Preservation Awards p.6 ~ Landmark Demolition, by Intent or Neglect p.7 ~ Explore Our Web Site p.8 ~APrime-Cut Designation: The Meaty Story of Gansevoort Market p.10 ~ District Profiles: Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn p.11 ~ Recent Gifts and Grants In the Shadow of 9/11: Planned Fulton Street Transit Center Threatens Historic Buildings Amid the fanfare over the planning of new buildings at the World Trade Center site, a less dramatic project that may jeop- ardize significant historic resources has been moving forward largely out of view. Preparations are well underway for the Ful- ton Street Transit Center, a $750 million development of the Metropolitan Trans- portation Authority one block east of the WTC site. First announced in August 2002, the project’s completion is scheduled for late 2007. This is a proposal separate from the transportation hub for PATH that San- tiago Calatrava has been chosen to design for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey at the WTC site. Intended to cover the entire eastern blockfront of Broadway between Fulton and John Streets, the transit center would make it easier to transfer among the A, C, J, M, Z, 2, 3, 4 and 5 subway lines and, by way of a subterranean concourse, to reach the E, N and R lines. These subway lines, SAVE THE DATE HDC’s Tenth Annual Preservation Conference The proposed John Street/Maiden Lane Historic District, darkened, lies south of City Hall “Cultural Landmarks: Controversy, Park and east of theWorld Trade Center site. The Metropolitan Transit Authority wants Practice & Prospects” to build a new subway-transfer station—the Fulton Street Transit Center—whose entry hall could result in the demolition of the entire east side of Broadway from Fulton to John Co-sponsored by Place Matters Street. HDC proposes a smaller footprint for the entry pavillion. March 5-7, 2004 serving six separate stations, were built venerable buildings stand in its path. At Reception Friday, March 5th from 1905 to 1932, when their operators risk are several early skyscraper office Panels Saturday, March 6th were in competition, so convenience was buildings that reflect the commercial- not part of the original planning. development history of Lower Manhattan Walking tours Sunday, March 7th At street level, the transit center and were designed by prominent architects Visit our Web site at www.hdc.org for details. would feature a conspicuous entry pavil- of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. ion. Some of historic Downtown’s most Perhaps the finest is the 1889 Corbin Historic Districts Council District Lines ~ Winter 2004 ~ page 2 Building, designed by Francis Kimball, at gests that MTA and PATH are competing the respected engineering firm Robert the northeast corner of Broadway and John to see who can outdo the other. Silman Associates, which concluded that Street, where the southern end of the pro- In the aftermath of the WTC disaster underground construction could be done posed transit center would be located. in 2001 a group of preservation organiza- without jeopardizing the Corbin. While there is little doubt that the tions formed the Lower Manhattan Recently, an article in The New York transit center would make a desirable con- Emergency Preservation Fund to support Times reported that the MTA has agreed tribution to Downtown, acquisition and preservation projects in Lower Manhat- to try to reuse the building in its design demolition of potential landmarks such as tan and to advocate for the area’s historic but that it is still committed to developing the Corbin seem both costly and unneces- buildings. Consisting of city, state, the remainder of the historic Broadway sary. Although linking the subway lines by national and international organizations, blockfront at the cost of other historic pedestrian passageways is quite feasible, the LMEPF has vigorously drawn atten- commercial buildings. the new connections would all exist Working with our colleagues in the underground, raising the question of fund, the Historic Districts Council has whether a large, elaborate aboveground been advocating for the protection and pavilion is necessary. continued on page 3 It is exactly this aboveground “great hall” that threatens the historic buildings. Variously described in the MTA’s April 2003 Draft Scoping Document as a “new PRESIDENT’ S COLUMN surface presence,” “a central distinguish- ing portal” and a “highly visible focal point of subway transit,” such a street-level In November, the Historic Districts pavilion would mean the demolition of Council joined Landmark West!, early buildings on Fulton Street, Broad- DOCOMOMO (DOcumentation and way and John Street. It sounds as if the COnservation of building sites and neigh- MTA seeks to recast a subway-system borhoods of the MOdern MOvement) and transfer point as a railroad terminus a number of individuals as petitioners in a endowed with the splendor and gravity of lawsuit to save 2 Columbus Circle. The law- the late Pennsylvania Station. Indeed, the suit challenges New York City’s sale of the proposed construction of the new PATH building to the Museum of Arts and station one block to the west, with the Design, which plans to alter drastically the creative Mr. Calatrava as architect, sug- historic if controversial Edward Durell photo: Catherine McNeur Stone masterwork commissioned by Hunt- Broadway blockfront threatened by transit ington Hartford and built in 1965. HDC center includes early skyscrapers: 1902 and the other petitioners contend that an Girard Building, left, 1889 Corbin Building. Environmental Impact Statement is DISTRICT required because the building is an impor- LINES tant historic resource despite the fact that tion to Lower Manhattan’s unprotected the city’s Landmarks Preservation Com- news and views of the historic resources, identifying three “cor- mission has refused to designate it. historic districts council ridors of concern” derived from Mayor Afew months before that, HDC filed Bloomberg’s plan for the area. Many prop- a friend-of-the-court brief in a petition by erties that fall within these corridors are CitiNeighbors and Mr. and Mrs. Woody editor ~ Penelope Bareau neither listed on State or National Regis- Allen, among others, in an effort to pre- layout and production ~ Ross Horowitz ters of Historic Places nor protected as vent Citibank from building a tower on editorial consultant ~ Jack Taylor locally designated historic districts. One top of its branch at East 91st Street and contributors ~ Melissa Baldock, Simeon Bankoff, of the corridors, and the one under the Madison Avenue in Manhattan. HDC Penelope Bareau, Hal Bromm, Franny Eberhart, most immediate threat, is the area cover- argued that Citibank’s final proposal was David Goldfarb, Eve Kahn, Edward S. Kirkland, ing Fulton Street, John Street and Maiden so altered from the original that the Land- Catherine McNeur Lane east of Broadway within which the marks Commission should have held a the historic districts council is the MTA plans to place its transit center. new public hearing. The main issue raised citywide nonprofit advocate for new Countering the proposal’s original by CitiNeighbors was whether LPC york’s designated historic districts, suggestion that new development war- action could proceed without an Environ- and for neighborhoods meriting rants a sweeping erasure of expendable mental Impact Statement, which is very preservation. the council is dedicated historic blockfronts, the fund engaged a time-consuming. Although the case lost to preserving the integrity of new design firm to show how the Corbin at the lower Court and Appellate Division york city’s landmarks law and to Building might be preserved as part of the levels, in October it was accepted for furthering the preservation ethic. transit center’s aboveground “great hall.” review by New York State’s highest court, The fund also commissioned a report by the Court of Appeals. Historic Districts Council District Lines ~ Winter 2004 ~ page 3 HDC has continued to be concerned ing of Executive Director Simeon as a palliative if he knew that SHPO about the rapid pace of teardowns in all Bankoff and Preservation Associates would be denying protection to buildings five boroughs, particularly the “urban- Catherine McNeur and Melissa Baldock. in the transit center’s way. suburban” areas of Brooklyn, The Bronx, This new position was made possible by HDC is currently surveying building Queens and Staten Island. The city is los- a capacity-building grant from the Mertz conditions in the district and assembling ing many landmark-worthy buildings, and Gilmore Foundation, to which we are historical research in preparation for an potential historic districts are being grateful. But the ability to sustain our official nomination to SHPO, which nor- destroyed before they can even be con- preservation efforts will be possible only mally recommends listing on the National sidered for designation. In October we with the continuing help of our many Register at the same time as it issues state held forums in Queens and Staten Island Friends and supporters. listing. National listing is important to discuss preservation issues there. —David Goldfarb because it offers additional protections HDC has drafted and is supporting pro- not afforded at the state level. For exam- posed changes to the city’s Administra- ple, under Section 4(f) of the Department tive Code to prevent the demolition of of Transportation Act of 1996, no federal any building 50 years old or older until funding for a transportation project that the LPC chairman and the commission affects a nationally listed historic resource itself have had an opportunity to con- can be approved unless “there is no feasi- sider whether the building is worthy of ble and prudent alternative” and unless landmarking or of being part of a poten- planning is done to “minimize harm to the tial historic district.