OCULUS on current new york architecture The New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects Volume 44, Number 4, December 1982 The Old Merchan t 's House, 1832, at Christmas tim e. (Photo: Stan R ies/ESTO) page2 Oculus OCULUS Chapter Reports Names and News Volume 44, Number 4, December 1982 by George Lewis Oculus Meeting with George Notter "American Architecture-A Living Editor: C. Ray Smith Several Chapter officers and past Heritage': is to be the theme of AIA's Managing Editor: Marian Page officers met in October with George 1983 National Convention in New Art Director: Abigail Sturges Notter, who will be AIA president in Orleans, May 22-25. It will include the Typesetting: Susan Schechter 1984, and with David Meeker, AIA exhibition, "America's City Halls" The New York Chapter of executive vice president, to go over celebrating the 50th anniversary of the American Institute of Architects some Chapter-AIA matters, HABS ... Romaldo Giurgola lectured 457 Madison Avenue, particularly the upcoming 1985 on the Parliament House in Canberra New York, New York 10022 national convention. A preliminary at Columbia's Avery Hall in October 212-838-9670 committee, Peter Samton, chairman, ... Norman Pfeiffer and Arata Isozaki had blocked out proposals to take spoke at a symposium, "Who Designs George S. Lewis, Executive Director wide-ranging advantage of New York's Museums," at the ArtTable October Cathanne Piesla, Executive Secretary resources, including involvement with program in Sotheby's redesigned Executive Committee 1982-83: other organizations. Because such a building at 72 Street and York Avenue Arthur I. Rosenblatt, President convention will require careful local­ .. Perkins & Will are the designers of Theodore Liebman, First Vice President national cooperation, Meeker a new addition for New York Hospital Richard Hayden, Vice President volunteered to come to New York in now under construction on the north Terrance R. Williams, Vice President December to lay the groundwork. end of the main building ... The Alan Schwartzman, Treasurer RESTORE program for the teaching of Doris B. Nathan, Secretary Other matters discussed included restoration training and preservation Joseph Bresnan "Directions '80s" emphasis on greater skill, which has been sponsored by the F. Eric Goshow local responsibility for services to Municipal Art Society since 1976, John A. Hagmann Nancy A.T. Miao members and how that could be became an independent organization Stuart K. Pertz funded and implemented, as well as in October still under the direction of Mildred Schmertz plans for central point dues billing Jan C.K. Anderson and located at 19 now that the AIA has a greatly West 44 Street ... Hardy Holzman NYC/AIA Staff expanded computer capability. Pfeiffer have been named architects Carol Jones for a proposed $8.5 million sports Jeannette Manzo Practice A broad center at Wellesley College ... Eileen McGrath At a well-attended meeting of the Kenneth Frampton joined Stanford Overseas Practice Committee, Robert Anderson and Kurt Foster of MIT's © 1982 The New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Kupfer of Turner International called School of Architecture and Planning attention to the lack of support in last month in a symposium on The Washington for American Sketchbooks of Le Corbusier at The construction abroad. He pointed out National Academy of Design ... The that although U.S. technology is Landmarks Preservation Commission superior and its design professions has unanimously approved the overall more adaptable in situations requiring design for the Pier 17 building in the cooperation among strangers, and South Street Seaport Historic District although other countries, such as ... Robert A. Djerejian and Frank J. Japan, France, and England Waehler, managing partners of Haines vigorously promote exporting their Lundberg Waehler, delivered keynote construction capabilities, this country, addresses at AT&T International where construction is the largest Headquarters in Basking Ridge, New industry, is neglecting the opportunity Jersey, to discuss "Teamwork­ to create many new jobs and to Internal and External." ... John J. redress the balance of payments. Chaloner has joined The Gruzen Partnership as a director and the Interior Design manager of its Interiors and Graphic The new Interiors Committee, of Design Departments ... Beyer Blinder which a steering group, chaired by Belle along with Anderson, Notter, Kenneth van der Kolk, has been Finegold Inc. of Boston and planning meetings, has attracted Washington, D.C. have been appointed considerable attention from interior consultants for the rehabilitation, designers in architectural firms­ restoration, and preservation of Ellis designers who have not to date had a Island by the National Park Service mutual forum. There will be an open ... Swanke Hayden Connell have been cont'd. p. 10, col 1 commissioned by Lloyds Bank cont'd. p. 10, col 1 Oculus page3 CRISIS IN PRESERVATION by George J. McCormack Editorial by Ralph C. Menapace, Jr. I have been asked to beard the lion in Architectural landmarks are being At the next session of the New York its den by presenting the other side of threatened in a concerted effort now State Legislature, legislation will be the landmarking issue in the very and the entire Preservation introduced that would, in effect, forum of those who most appreciate movement is consequently more and exempt properties owned by religious architectural beauty. As a person who more embattled. It is a threat waged organizations from any mandatory also delights in our architectural on three fronts-or three strata of regulation under the landmarks heritage, I feel doubly hesitant in interest and concern-and the preservation laws enacted by New taking up my pen. Yet I have in recent profession of architecture should be York City and dozens of other months come to believe that if the clear in distinguishing each of the municipalities throughout the State. proponents of unrestrained three: Legislation to this effect was landmarking are permitted at whim to introduced at the last session of the sequester private property without At the most particular or smallest Legislature but was not acted upon; it compensation and thereby to put the scale is the series of criticisms and appears almost certain that it will be cause of historic preservation above complaints against the NYC reintroduced at the coming session. the often desperate human needs of Landmarks Preservation Commission, The intent and effect of the proposed our people, we will have unwittingly which is accused of being a design jury legislation would be to permit religous bred an antisocial monster. The that architects must submit to in front organizations to exploit commercially inevitable reaction will increase of their clients and which is also the unused development potential of alienation between the rich and poor accused of reviewing ab ovo at each landmark properties owned by them and will irreparably harm even the round of review so that the process, free of the restrictions to which other legitimate claims of those who, like they say, becomes "outrageously and owners of landmark properties are myself, genuinely value our cultural unnecessarily" lengthy and costly. In subject. I submit that there exists no and architectural heritage. addition, critics of the LPG claim that basis in law or in policy that would more landmarks than deserve support such a radical- and I say sequester property "at whim" preservation have been designated­ potentially unconstitutional-reversal because the New York City landmarks far beyond what we need to preserve of long-standing public policy. law has no meaningful criteria for a record of civilization or continuity. determining what is of landmark The proponents of the legislation­ quality. Any building over 30 years old In the middle stratum is the organized principally an interfaith commission that has "special character" can be and consolidated campaign to remove appointed by the Committee of landmarked. Every building in town all religious buildings from Religious Leaders of the City of New built before 1952 meets this non­ Landmarking consideration. This York- have advanced three principal standard. I would propose that the law battle will be waged over a bill that arguments in support of the be changed to provide that a building will, it is anticipated, be presented in legislation: (1) that landmark can be landmarked only if it is over 75 the New York State Legislature this regulation is "tantamount" to years old, if it has been continuously year. condemnation and that it is and publicly recognized as a prime unconstitutional to impose such example of certain specified standards Both of these campaigns are waged regulation on a property without of historic or aesthetic preeminence, here also in the following articles by compensation to the owner; (2) that and if there are no other already George McCormack and Ralph landmark regulation as applied to landmarked buildings of similar type Menapace. properties owned by religious in the City. organizations violates the First Third, both of the above campaigns Amendment's prohibition on state I say sequester property "without ultimately threaten to weaken the interference with the free exercise of compensation" because landmarking entire cultural movement of religion; and (3) that the hardship can destroy or seriously impair the preserving the architectural heritage provisions of the landmarks law market value of a property. If a of this country. applicable to properties owned by non­ building on a site having development profit organizations are "inherently value is landmarked, a large part of Architects must clearly distinguish defective" and that as a practical the value of the site may be destroyed. these three issues and weigh them matter religious organizations are In fact, if the landmarked building is against the mandatory support of the denied "even the extremely limited no longer useful, mere ownership of profession for its own historical relief [the Law] allows to commercial the site may become a liability.