Landmarks Preservation Commission Advisory Board
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| Landmarks Preservation Commission Advisory Board | |
|---|---|
| Name | Landmarks Preservation Commission Advisory Board |
| Type | Advisory body |
| Headquarters | New York City |
| Parent organization | New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission |
| Established | 1965 |
Landmarks Preservation Commission Advisory Board is an advisory body connected to the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission that provides counsel on designation, alteration, and enforcement matters affecting cultural heritage in New York City, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, and Staten Island. Its role interfaces with municipal agencies such as the New York City Council, the Mayor of New York City, and the New York City Department of Buildings while engaging stakeholders including the Landmarks Conservancy, the Historic Districts Council, and preservation advocates associated with institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the New-York Historical Society, and the Municipal Art Society of New York.
History
The advisory board emerged amid the preservation movement catalyzed by events such as the demolition of Pennsylvania Station and the passage of the New York City Landmarks Law in 1965, alongside influential interventions by personalities from the Roberta Bayley era and preservation campaigns linked to the Historic Districts Council and the Landmarks Conservancy. Early proceedings involved coordination with municipal actors including the New York City Council and the office of Mayor John V. Lindsay and featured debates paralleling controversies over sites like Grand Central Terminal, SoHo Cast-Iron Historic District, and Greenwich Village Historic District. Over subsequent decades the board’s remit intersected with federal programs such as the National Register of Historic Places and legal frameworks exemplified by cases argued in the New York State Supreme Court and referenced in rulings of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Recent developments reflect tensions evident in disputes over High Line, Atlantic Yards, and adaptive reuse projects near Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO.
Structure and Membership
The advisory board typically comprises professionals and stakeholders representing disciplines and institutions such as architecture firms with ties to the American Institute of Architects, academic departments at Columbia University, New York University, and The Cooper Union, preservation non-profits including the Landmarks Conservancy and Historic Districts Council, and representatives from community boards like Community Board 1 (Manhattan) and Community Board 2 (Brooklyn). Appointments are influenced by municipal offices including the Mayor of New York City, confirmations involving the New York City Council, and liaisons with the New York City Department of City Planning and the New York City Department of Buildings. Membership categories often mirror expertise domains represented by alumni and faculty from institutions such as the Pratt Institute and the School of Visual Arts and professional affiliations with organizations like the Municipal Art Society of New York and the New York Landmarks Conservancy.
Functions and Responsibilities
The advisory board offers recommendations on landmark designations, historic district boundaries, and certificate of appropriateness reviews for sites including properties adjacent to Times Square, Fifth Avenue, Harlem, and preservation areas in Jackson Heights and Flushing. It provides technical guidance on matters involving façade preservation practices that relate to standards promulgated by the National Park Service for the National Register of Historic Places and conservation protocols used by institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the New-York Historical Society. The board also advises on mitigating impacts from capital projects involving agencies like the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection where projects affect landmarks such as Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty National Monument, and municipal properties in historic districts like South Street Seaport.
Procedures and Meetings
Meetings follow processes that mirror municipal procedures seen in bodies like the New York City Council landmark review committees and public hearings modeled on protocols from the Landmarks Law implementation. Agendas typically include designation calendars, advisory reports, and public comment sessions similar to practice at hearings for projects such as Atlantic Terminal expansions and Hudson Yards proposals. The advisory board’s deliberations often invoke testimony from representatives of academic institutions such as Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, preservation organizations like the Historic Districts Council, legal counsel experienced with cases in the New York State Supreme Court, and community stakeholders from boards across Manhattan Community Board 5, Brooklyn Community Board 6, and Queens Community Board 3.
Interactions with the Landmarks Preservation Commission
The advisory board provides nonbinding recommendations to the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission and coordinates with LPC staff, commissioners, and the agency’s counsel in ways comparable to interagency consultations between entities such as the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York City Economic Development Corporation. Its input has influenced determinations involving high-profile sites like Grand Central Terminal, Penn Station debates, Brooklyn Heights Historic District protections, and policy dialogues around adaptive reuse projects such as the conversion of industrial complexes in DUMBO and Red Hook.
Criticism and Controversies
Critics have argued that the advisory board’s recommendations sometimes reflect tensions seen in controversies over Hudson Yards, Atlantic Yards, and redevelopment conflicts near Chelsea and Long Island City, asserting alignment with preservation groups like the Landmarks Conservancy while developers and entities like the Related Companies or Forest City Ratner Companies contest constraints. Legal challenges have invoked precedents from cases adjudicated in the New York State Supreme Court and appeals in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit concerning designation authority, economic impact, and procedural fairness, echoing debates tied to landmark outcomes for properties such as Seagram Building and sites adjacent to Columbia University expansion plans.