Chapter 7: Historic Resources A. INTRODUCTION AND
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Chapter 7: Historic Resources A. INTRODUCTION AND METHODOLOGY This chapter assesses the potential impacts that may occur to historic resources as a result of construction and/or operation of the project alternatives. Because any impacts that might occur during construction could result in permanent, rather than temporary, impacts to historic struc- tures, those impacts are considered in detail in this chapter in addition to operational impacts. Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as promulgated by the federal legislation 36 CFR 800, mandates that federal agencies must consider the effect of their actions on any properties listed on or determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Federal agency preservation officers, in consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), must determine whether a proposed action would have any beneficial or adverse ef- fects on the characteristics of a site that qualify it for the State and National Registers of Historic Places (S/NR). The New York State Historic Preservation Act of 1980 closely resem- bles the National Historic Preservation Act, and requires that state agencies consider the effect of their actions on properties listed on or determined eligible for the State Register of Historic Places. In general, potential impacts on historic or architectural resources can include both direct physi- cal impacts—demolition, alteration, or damage from construction on nearby sites—and indirect, contextual impacts, such as the isolation of a property from its surrounding environment, or the introduction of visual, audible, or atmospheric elements that are out of character with a property or that alter its setting. The subway and Light Rail Transit (LRT) routes would pass beneath and/or beside a large number of structures, some of which are of historic or architectural impor- tance. This raises the possibility that such structures or sites could be affected by Build Alternatives 1 and 2. During the consultation process with SHPO, described below under “Definition of the Area of Potential Effect,” it was determined that the No Action and TSM Al- ternatives would not result in any impacts to historic resources, and therefore no additional eval- uation of potential impacts of these alternatives was prepared. To assess and compare the potential impacts of Build Alternatives 1 and 2, an inventory of his- toric and architectural resources in areas that could be impacted by the proposed alternatives was compiled. A description of the methodology used to prepare the inventory follows, as does a brief description of the identified and potential historic resources, and an assessment of the po- tential impacts of Build Alternatives 1 and 2. This work was prepared in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the State Historic Preservation Act, and the State Environmental Quality Review Act. The scope of work was de- veloped in consultation with SHPO and the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commis- sion (LPC). 7-1 Manhattan East Side Transit Alternatives MIS/DEIS DEFINITION OF THE AREA OF POTENTIAL EFFECT In spring 1997, Areas of Potential Effect (APEs) for the MESA study were defined in consulta- tion with staff of SHPO and LPC. At that time, the No Build Alternative and Transportation Systems Management (TSM) Alternative were determined to have no potential effects, so the alternatives to be studied were Build Alternatives 1 and 2. APEs were established for those project alternatives. APEs include locations that may potentially be impacted by construction or that may experience effects once construction is completed and the new transit system is operational. As shown in Figures 7-1 through 7-4, the APEs include the area 50 feet beyond the building line on either side of any areas of cut and cover construction, and 50 feet beyond the north and south limits of such construction; the area 50 feet beyond the building line and beyond the north and south limits of new subway stations and the limits of potential locations identified for a proposed construction staging site; buildings fronting the alignment of the at-grade and open-cut portions of the LRT component; and 50 feet beyond the limits of the proposed LRT maintenance and storage yard. The APEs do not include areas where an existing tunnel would be used or where deep-bore tunneling would take place. In these locations, vibrations due to construction and/or operation of the proposed subway would not be expected to result in any impacts to structures. (For more information on vibration, see Chapter 11, “Noise and Vibration,” and Chapter 15, “Construction and Construction Impacts.” As described there, mitigation measures would be incorporated into the project’s design to avoid significant adverse vibration impacts.) INVENTORY OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES/STRUCTURES WITHIN THE APEs Real estate atlases were used to determine all locations included as APEs for Build Alternatives 1 and 2. A list of all officially recognized historic resources—properties or districts listed on the S/NR, or determined eligible for such listing; National Historic Landmarks (NHL); and New York City Landmarks and Historic Districts (NYCL) or properties pending such designation— was prepared for the APEs using the sources listed below in section F (see Table 7-1 and Figures 7-5 through 7-7). Next, properties/structures potentially eligible for city landmark desig- nation were identified based on consultation with LPC staff and research undertaken using LPC’s research files and other sources (see Tables 7-2 and 7-3, and Figures 7-8 through 7-11). An annotated list of the sources consulted to create the list of potential historic sites is provided at the end of this chapter in section F. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS As described above, both known and potential historic resources were identified within the MESA corridor APE. There are 16 known historic properties/structures, including two historic districts, within the APE. A total of 84 potential historic properties/structures have been identi- fied within the APE. Four structures near the intersection of 125th Street and Lexington Avenue (2075-2087 Lexington Avenue, 141-147 East 125th Street, 149 East 125th Street, and 151-153 East 125th Street), a commercial complex on the Upper East Side (at 1242-1258 Second Avenue, between 62nd and 63rd Streets), and one on the Lower East Side (80 Essex Street) were documented in Building-Structure Inventory Forms, which were submitted to SHPO for determinations of eligibility for listing on the S/NR and to LPC regarding their eligibility for NYCL designation. SHPO determined (in correspondence dated December 10, 1998) that 7-2 Chapter 7: Historic Resources Table 7-1 Known Historic Resources Within Areas of Potential Effect (APE)* for LRT and Subway Ref. Pending S/NR No. Name Address NYCL SR NR NHL NYCL Eligible 1. Fraunces Tavern Block Coenties Slip X X X Historic District 2. South Street Seaport X X X Historic District 3. Brooklyn Bridge X X X X 4. Manhattan Bridge Arch X X X and Colonnade 5. Forward Building 173-175 East Broadway X 6. Federal rowhouse at 281 281 East Broadway X East Broadway 7. Williamsburg Bridge Crosses East River; X ends on Delancey Street in Manhattan and on Broadway in Williamsburg, Brooklyn 8. Essex Street Retail 80 Essex Street X Market 9. Immaculate Conception 406-414 East 14th X X X Church and Clergy House Street 10. Engine Co. 5 340 East 14th Street X 11. Temple Tifereth Israel 336 East 14th Street X 12. Union Square Park X X X X 13. Union Square Subway X Station (BMT Station, N and R lines) 14. Lincoln Building 1 Union Square West X X X 15. Twelfth Ward Savings 141-147 East 125th X Bank Street (2081-2083 Lexington Avenue) 16. 7-story building 2075-2087 Lexington X Avenue (144-142 East 126th Street) Notes: * See accompanying Figures 7-5, 7-6, and 7-7. NYCL: New York City Landmark. SR: New York State Register of Historic Places. NR: National Register of Historic Places. NHL: National Historic Landmark. Pending NYCL: Site has been considered for a public hearing about its designation as a New York City Landmark or heard for designation as such. S/NR Eligible: Site has been found eligible for listing on the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places. 7-3 Manhattan East Side Transit Alternatives MIS/DEIS Table 7-2 Potential Historic Resources Within Area of Potential Effect (APE) for Light Rail* Ref. No. Name Address Block/Lot Notes Lower Manhattan Zone 1. 4-story warehouse 42 Water Street 30/33 Ca. 1830 2. 4-story warehouse 44 Water Street 30/32 Ca. 1830 3. 5-story warehouse 90 Water Street 31/1 Ca. 1830 Lower East Side Zone 4. Manhattan Savings 150A Canal Street 202/18 1924; Clarence W. Brazer Bank 5. 6-story loft 85 Canal Street 300/1 Ca. 1900; Renaissance Revival 6. Jarmulowsky Bank 58-54 Canal Street 294/8 1913; Wm. L. Rouse & Lafayette Goldstone 7. 7-story loft 48 Canal Street 294/23 8. Former Synagogue 41 Canal Street (5 298/33 1910; T-shaped building constructed as Ludlow Street) Independent Kletzker Brotherly Aid Society Building 9. Former Loew’s Theater 31 Canal Street 297/1 1927; Thomas Lamb; altered 1967, 1973, 1982; Spanish Baroque 10. 5-story tenement 143 Division Street 283/77 1886; a pair with 34 Canal Street 11. 5-story tenement 34 Canal Street 283/76 1886; a pair with 143 Division Street 12. Former The Day Jewish 183 East Broadway 284/19 Ca. 1850's; Neo-Grec Newspaper 13. Federal rowhouse 185 East Broadway 284/18 Ca. 1850's; pair with 187 East Broadway 14. Old Prep School 187 East Broadway 284/17 Ca.