Two years ago, the Landmarks Preservation Commission floated the idea of clearing its backlog of items from before 2010 by simply de-calendaring all of them. That was not well-received, to put it lightly. So, they devised a series of steps to actually address those 95 items. That process nearly came to an end today, with the designation of 10 new city landmarks.
As we have reported, the Landmarks Preservation Commission is in the process of dealing with the backlog of 95 items that have been on its calendar since before 2010, some for decades. That process took a big step forward Tuesday, with 30 sites remaining on the calendar as priorities for designation vote by the end of 2016. Five sites were removed from the calendar for lack of merit.
On Thursday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission continued its effort to address its 95-item backlog. In the third of four sessions devoted to the effort, the first groups of properties in Manhattan received public hearings. Among the items in the first group of the day was the former IRT powerhouse on West 59th Street. Support for designation was almost universal, save for two representatives of the building’s current owner – Con Edison.