Decisions from the NYC Landmarks Commission by Arthur Mallett.
Mar 08, 2016 Cunard Mansion,greenwood cemetery,Lady Moody-Van Sicklen House,LPC,NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission,President Chester A. Arthur’s former home
Last week the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission whittled down the 95 properties being considered for landmark status. Only 30 properties made the cut, and they still need the approval of City Council. Of the five boroughs, Brooklyn had the highest ratio of recommendations, with six out of seven properties being submitted for Council approval. The Art Moderne-style Pumping Station in Coney Island was nixed, which dates from 1938. Three churches, parts of the Greenwood Cemetery and the Lady Moody-Van Sicklen House in Gravesend (pictured above) were among those prioritized by the LPC.
Outside of Brooklyn many properties were not given the recommendation, including the 19th Century Cunard Mansion in Staten Island, and President Chester A. Arthur’s former home in Manhattan. Properties are free to renovate these buildings. Some could even go the way of the old Penn Station and be demolished. Buildings of historical significance do not always maximize the value of their property from a real estate perspective, and their tends to be a resistance to the restrictions imposed by landmark status. Without these restrictions though, we would see an acceleration in a city of vanishing landmarks.