DISTRICT LINES news and views of the historic districts council spring 2003 volume XVII number 1 p1 ~ Robert B. Tierney Takes the Chair at Landmarks p2 ~ President’s Column p3 ~ Olympics—Preservation Opportunity? p4 ~ Daniel Patrick Moynihan (1927–2003), Preservationist p5 ~ “Preserving the Suburban Metropolis” p7 ~ Conference Summary p8 ~ HDC Hosts Panels In Neighborhoods p8 ~ State Legislation Proposes New Rehab Tax Credits p9 ~ New Books about Old New York p10 ~ Mott Haven Historic District, the Bronx p11 ~ Recent Gifts And Grants Robert B. Tierney Takes the Chair at Landmarks In January the New York City Council ing the 1890s Ryman Auditorium (original lage, which is, of course, [one of the places] unanimously approved Mayor Michael home of the Grand Ole Opry) and the where landmarking started.”) During Tier- Bloomberg’s appointment of Robert B. 1890s replica of the Parthenon. In 1968, he ney’s AT&T tenure, from 1983 to 2001, he Tierney to the chairmanship of the Land- moved to New York and into a one-bed- specialized in relations with the city and marks Preservation Commission. Rumor room apartment in a 1914 building in the state governments and also served on the had long preceded confirmation, and as Greenwich Village Historic District. He boards of good-government groups such as early as last summer The New York Times still lives there, partly because of the well- the Citizens Union, Association for a Bet- began reporting that Tierney was a strong preserved neighborhood. “I don’t like ter New York, and the 14th Street/Union candidate for the job. Immediately before Square Local Development Corporation. his appointment he had been a visiting He has since resigned from almost all of his scholar at New York University’s Taub board affiliations, “to avoid even the Urban Research Center, but for much of appearance of a conflict of interest.” his career he had been a lawyer working as His background in law, government, AT&T’s director of public affairs. He was and civic-minded nonprofits, he explains, virtually unknown in the preservation is proving invaluable now. “There’s so community. But his record of government much interaction here with other city service and civic activism, as counsel to agencies, not to mention elected officials. mayoral and gubernatorial administrations And a lot of what we do is challenged, or and board member of numerous public- challenge-able. Transparency will be my policy foundations, was already impressive. goal. I’ll talk to anybody who wants to And, it turns out, he has been intrigued by talk to me. There’s nothing behind closed historic architecture since he was a child. doors here, which suits me fine.” When asked to describe his childhood Within weeks of his appointment as home, he chuckles and says, “It’s funny, this chair, he impressed observers with his is the first time anyone’s asked me that Parkhouse Virginia photo: enthusiasm, accessibility, and diligent since I took this job. I grew up in an 1860 Robert B. Tierney, newly appointed chair of efforts to meet with community groups, sea captain’s house in West Haven, Con- the New York City Landmarks Preservation activists, and past Landmarks Commission necticut, that my grandparents had bought Commission. He replaces Sherida E. Paulsen, chairs. Boyish, lanky, and affable, he’s in the 1930s. My parents always took good who remains as a commissioner. become a regular presence at preservation care of it—my mother still lives there.” events far into the evening. “I’m trying to Tierney spent his undergraduate years at be as open as I can, to listen and learn,” he Yale, earning a degree in English in 1965; change, so I guess I’m in the right job,” he says. “It’s an uphill learning curve—like and he also studied 20th-century architec- says, laughing. “Of course,” he added, “I continued on page 2 ture with historian Vincent Scully. “The lec- like constructive change.” tures were totally inspiring and completely He served as assistant counsel to for- SAVE THE DATE riveting,” recalls Tierney. (Since graduation, mer Governor Hugh Carey in the mid- he adds, he’s been attending as many of 1970s and then became counsel to former HDC’S SPRING EVENT Scully’s public lectures as possible.) Mayor Edward I. Koch, handling every- Antiques and Wine Tasting While studying law at Vanderbilt Uni- thing from budget policy to mayoral at Sailors’ Snug Harbor versity in Nashville, Tennessee, he admired staffing appointments. (The former mayor Staten Island the city’s architectural landmarks, includ- praises Tierney’s “superb judgment, won- derful sense of humor, and ability to meet June 12, 2003 Publication of this issue of District Lines has been made possible in part by the generous support of with and talk to and persuade people—and Call HDC at 212-614-9107 for details Alan M. Ades. he’s lived much of his life in Greenwich Vil- Historic Districts Council District Lines ~ Spring 2003 ~ page 2 Robert B. Tierney Takes the preservation’s demands. “Creating an Chair at Landmarks PRESIDENT’ S COLUMN Historic District,” the definitive how-to continued from page 1 manual by Eric Wm. Allison, former HDC president, is being reprinted by anything interesting. This is a wonderful popular demand, and “The New Bound- place to learn, with so many knowledgeable The Historic Districts Council will aries Initiative,” a study examining the people on staff.” He welcomes all manner welcome a new president this summer chronic under-designation of historic dis- of “constructive criticism,” he adds, espe- when David Goldfarb assumes the office. tricts, is nearing completion. cially from the Historic Districts Council. David’s dedication to preservation is leg- In the midst of several exciting years “The group is incredibly valuable to us, par- endary on Staten Island, his home turf. He came the horrible tragedy of September ticularly as city resources get tighter.” is also well known to Greenwich Village 11th. In the weeks following, somber He’s aware of the many challenges advocates who witnessed his extraordi- meetings were quickly convened when facing the Commission, he goes on. The nary legal skill in HDC’s lawsuit against many of us became involved in the effort research staff has been drastically New York University in an attempt to save to redefine what had been lost. In a reduced, boroughs outside Manhattan are Poe House and Judson House during the November 10, 2001, letter published in relatively under-represented in the land- planning of NYU’s new law-school build- The New York Times, I wrote that “what- marks rolls, changes are sometimes made ing. While the final outcome was disap- ever is done at the site must reweave the to approved applications without public pointing and the project is inappropriately damaged threads of fabric that terrorism review, and most commissioners are serv- scaled relative to both the block and the sought to tear apart, and create a sense of ing past their terms’ expiration dates. neighborhood, it would have been far place that fills the void and honors the “We have to be vigilant, to hold the worse had HDC not brought legal action losses of September 11th.” The rebuilding lines as best we can, without being anti- against NYU. process has been kept on an even keel by development,” he explains. “We need to It was an honor to work with David New York’s dedicated citizenry, and many strike an appropriate, intelligent balance. and to know his commitment to preserva- features deemed crucial by HDC to the As more buildings are designated, there’s tion firsthand. An NYU more to regulate and oversee—it’s a natu- Law School alum himself, rally expanding jurisdictional environ- David was unbowed by John ment. A lot of people here are already Sexton, then dean of the doing an enormously impressive job with school and now president of strained resources. There’s an incredible the university. In David’s esprit de corps at this agency.” new role he will watch care- fully to see whether Mr. Sex- ton really is listening to the community’s voice. In retrospect, it’s grati- fying to have led HDC into a DISTRICT new decade and to have worked with dedicated LINES board members. Roger photo: Virginia Parkhouse Virginia photo: news and views of the Byrom and his staff at Addi- son helped redefine our historic districts council Hal Bromm, outgoing president of the Historic Districts image and gave us a new Council, with Elizabeth Goldfarb, wife of incoming presi- organization identity. dent David Goldfarb, at HDC’s opening-night reception George Calderaro has also editor ~ Penelope Bareau (see Conference Summary, page 7). helped enhance our public layout and production ~ Ross Horowitz persona, improving HDC’s editorial consultant ~ Jack Taylor printed communications contributors ~ Simeon Bankoff, Penelope Bareau, with real style. Penelope Bareau has new site—the restoration of the former Hal Bromm, Eve Kahn, Edward S. Kirkland brought this newsletter to a new level and street grid among them—have been earned us high praise. Julia Schoeck, Teri embraced in new proposals. the historic districts council is the Slater, and Jack Taylor have been reaching HDC has many to thank for its citywide nonprofit advocate for new out to City Councilmembers who often growth and influence on making New york’s designated historic districts, had little idea of what great work we did York a better place through preservation and for neighborhoods meriting right in their own backyards. of our cultural and architectural preservation. the council is dedicated Our conferences have become resources, not least all our Friends who to preserving the integrity of new annual beacons for up-and-coming lend important financial support.