D I S T R I C T LINES news and views of the historic districts council winter 2006 vol. XIX no. 3 p. 1 ~ Friendless in Queens and Brooklyn—City Council Nixes Two LPC Picks p. 2 ~ President’s Column p. 3 ~ Eminent Domain: High Court Decision Makes Everybody Scramble p. 5 ~ Five New Advisers Join HDC’s Board p. 5 ~ HDC Image Archive Is Up and Running p. 6 ~ Preservation Strategies: Landmarking Is Only One Answer p. 6 ~ HDC to Lead Talks on Preservation Locally p. 7 ~ Manhattan’s West 72nd Street: Tale of an Urban Main Street p. 8 ~ District Profiles: Fort Totten Historic District, Queens p. 9 ~ “Place, Race, Money and Art”—HDC’s 2006 Conference p. 10 ~ Barry Lewis, Lion p. 10 ~ New Books about Old New York p. 11 ~ Recent Gifts and Grants RIENDLESS IN UEENS AND ROOKLYN Cass Gilbert, a celebrated New York F Q B — architect who also designed the Wool- ITY OUNCIL IXES WO ICKS worth Building, the U.S. Courthouse and C C N T LPC P the George Washington Bridge. Austin, The recent denials of two landmark William Cann, it strikes a dramatically Nichols was built in 1913, also of rein- designations, a former Jamaica Savings triangular shape with its peak at the forced concrete, for one of the world’s Bank in Queens and the former Aus- street corner, the copper-clad roofline largest grocery wholesalers and is said to tin, Nichols & Company Warehouse in descending precipitously at more than 60 be a rare American example of Egyptian Brooklyn, reveal much about how the degrees on both sides. The design clearly Revival architecture, characterized by a City Council handles the approval pro- reflects such period Queens influences as flared cornice and sloping walls. Partly cess—especially about how much hinges the 1964 World’s Fair and Eero Saarinen’s vacant for many years, it became home on the vote of a single councilmember. Trans World Airlines Terminal at Ken- in 1998 to artists who moved in with The buildings themselves—their neigh- nedy Airport, completed in 1962, and the approval of the owners, the Kesten- borhoods, constituencies and how they like them is built of reinforced concrete. baum family. Six years later, when the came to be designated—are very different, Acting largely on its own initiative, the owners applied for variances to permit and so is what happened to each of them Landmarks Preservation Commission des- a massive rooftop addition, the tenants after their designations were denied. ignated the bank building in June 2005. sensed the start of a major redevelop- The Jamaica Savings Bank is a small The Austin, Nichols & Company ment—indeed, the landlord had asked bank branch located at the bustling building, on the other hand, is a monu- them all to sign an agreement to vacate in intersection of Queens Boulevard and mental former warehouse located at 184 60 days if requested (see District Lines, 56th Avenue in Elmhurst. A 1966 mod- Kent Avenue on the East River in Wil- Autumn 2005). Some tenants along with ernist building by little-known architect liamsburg, Brooklyn. It was designed by other community members formed the M. SALISBURY Former Jamaica Savings Bank in Queens, left, and Austin, Nichols Warehouse in Brooklyn were both designated by the Landmarks Pres- ervation Commission and turned down by the City Council. P. BAREAU Historic Districts Council District Lines ~ Winter 2006 ~ page 2 Williamsburg Waterfront Preservation full City Council. The closest scrutiny tion 43-6 with one abstention. Alliance and started a campaign for land- normally comes at the subcommittee One of those six was Councilmem- marking. level; committee and full Council votes ber Tony Avella, who had written a letter At the Landmarks Preservation almost always agree with it. to the full Council membership saying it Commission’s hearing for the designa- When the Jamaica Savings Bank would be “hypocritical” to vote no after tion of Jamaica Savings Bank, only a few designation was considered by the sub- not only asking LPC for more designa- speakers appeared in support—represen- committee, the owner, BA Property tions outside Manhattan, but also after tatives of the Historic Districts Council, LLC, argued against landmarking, cit- the Council specified this site as a “sig- the New York Landmarks Conservancy, ing the complaints its lessee had made nificant historic resource” in the May DoCoMoMo and the Queensborough at LPC and contending that designa- 2005 rezoning. Preservation League. The North Fork tion would prevent it from developing Nevertheless, Austin Nichols was Bank, its current occupant, expressed the site. Helen Sears, councilmember turned down. Mayor Michael Bloomberg strong opposition, alleging that the build- for the area, had already voiced her sup- vetoed the City Council’s action, say- ing is expensive to operate and maintain port, as had the local community board, ing of the landmarks commission, “ ... its because of its design. but when asked at the hearing if she still members are the experts charged with At the LPC designation hearing for supported the designation, she equivo- determining what buildings are worthy of Austin, Nichols, on the other hand, sup- cated, reiterating the owner’s objections. landmarks designation.” porters turned out in record numbers to Otherwise, there was limited testimony, No, said the City Council, in effect. testify in favor of designation, along with largely a repeat of that given at the com- We are, and overturned the veto. representatives of HDC and other orga- mission. Subcommittee Chair Simcha nizations. The owners protested, saying Felder declared that the building did designation would spoil their development not “look like” a landmark and did not plans and that the building had no archi- deserve designation. The subcommittee PRESIDENT ’ S C O L UM N tectural or historical merit. LPC disagreed voted to overturn with only Council- and designated it in September 2005. member Bill Perkins dissenting. The City Charter empowers the The meeting of the full Land Use City Council to ratify, modify or deny a Committee as usual ratified the subcom- Whose hands should hold decisions designation. It is considered first by the mittee vote. Despite advocates’ requests, about historic preservation? Recent Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Sit- no public testimony was taken; discussion actions by the New York City Council ing and Maritime Uses, then by the full was limited and dismissive. Chair Melinda that overturned the landmark designa- Land Use Committee and finally by the Katz said she, too, thought the building tions of the Jamaica Savings Bank in did not “look like” a landmark, and Coun- Queens and the Austin, Nichols Ware- cilmember Charles Barron aired his often house in Brooklyn (see page 1) must give expressed opinion that modern buildings preservationists pause. As discontented are not old enough to be worthy of land- as we may be at times with the Landmarks DISTRICT marking. Councilmembers brushed off Preservation Commission, would we be the witnesses in favor of designation as better off if more decisions rested with a LINES people who would testify for any desig- political body like the Council? news and views of the nation. The full City Council vote went Not every building or district needs historic districts council the same way, adopting the no vote of the Land Use Committee. Only Council- editor and layout ~ Penelope Bareau member Sears voted yes at the full City art and production ~ Anna Tunick Council meeting. editorial consultant ~ Jack Taylor Councilmember David Yassky, chair of contributors ~ Simeon Bankoff, Penelope Bareau, the Waterfronts Committee, represents Eve M. Kahn, Edward S. Kirkland, Alice Rich, Sybil Young, Kate Wood the area where Austin, Nichols stands. staff ~ Simeon Bankoff, Executive Director Unlike Helen Sears, who vacillated, Mr. Frampton Tolbert, Assistant Director Yassky was opposed to the designation Alice Rich, Sybil Young, Preservation Associates from the beginning and lobbied his col- no part of this periodical may be leagues actively against it. Calling the reproduced without the consent of the historic districts council. building “nondescript” and “not worthy of landmarking,” he concurred with Mr. the historic districts council is the Felder, chair of the landmarks subcom- citywide advocate for new york’s designated historic districts and for neighborhoods mittee, who denounced the building meriting preservation. the council is again and again as “a piece of trash” and dedicated to preserving the integrity of said it should be demolished. Ms. Katz P. DECKER new york city’s landmarks law and to also felt that the building was unworthy, furthering the preservation ethic. and finally, on November 20, 2005, the HDC Board President David Goldfarb. full City Council voted against designa- Historic Districts Council District Lines ~ Winter 2006 ~ page 3 to be saved. New York is great because of its ability to reinvent itself, including Eminent Domain: High Court Decision its architecture. But someone needs to Makes Everybody Scramble make the important decisions about what should be preserved. Those decisions The 21-acre Atlantic Yards development plan in Brooklyn, with its bas- must be made in a public, fair and reason- ketball arena and millions of square feet of new construction, is stirring able way. There needs to be a plan—both controversy over its potential impact on Prospect Heights. So is the Down- a plan for protecting the architectural town Brooklyn Plan for its effect on Duffield Street. Because a major tool in and cultural heritage of the city and a management plan to handle the enor- both projects is the exercise of eminent domain, or the taking of property, mous work of designating and regulating and because eminent-domain laws are changing, District Lines takes a look landmarks. Without a plan and without at the issue in flux to see how the projects would be affected.