tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12990656616837281792024-02-18T22:35:40.572-08:00Preserve St. Michael'sCONGRATULATIONS! On April 12, 2016, the LPC voted to Landmark the St. Michael's Episcopal Church Complex. As a NYC Landmark, it will have all the protections afforded to historic properties by the NYC Landmarks Law. LANDMARK WESThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15801043184413017499noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1299065661683728179.post-55315552955325927142015-09-29T13:01:00.003-07:002015-09-29T14:06:39.287-07:00When is a Landmark not a Landmark? <div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF0jBqZDiKABf4r-SsPnXZwm7k_msx6l5mBbR45CG-aXNelLHehJmUkf7IcA4AlnRndmtoUngBEcOEZpyPZXwXedOxBJj7_7VKzTU0F-wFa6THN0pEXQuzFhNC3eGUzY2pcVN_jrYEiNZz/s1600/DSC01359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF0jBqZDiKABf4r-SsPnXZwm7k_msx6l5mBbR45CG-aXNelLHehJmUkf7IcA4AlnRndmtoUngBEcOEZpyPZXwXedOxBJj7_7VKzTU0F-wFa6THN0pEXQuzFhNC3eGUzY2pcVN_jrYEiNZz/s320/DSC01359.JPG" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">By all common definitions, St. Michael's Church Complex is a landmark- it is "a prominent or conspicuous object on land that serves as a guide...a distinguishing landscape feature marking a site or location". With is 160' Tower, St. Michael's church has been a beacon to the community--in this built form--since 1891. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The National Parks Service division of the United States Department of the Interior began designating landmarks in 1966 as part of the National Historic Preservation Act. Their National Register is the federal list of sites deemed significant to "American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, and culture". The National Register listed St. Michael's Church, along with its Rectory and Parish House in 1996. While <a href="https://www.scribd.com/doc/283138719/St-Michael-s-National-Register-Form"><span style="color: #0b5394;">this lengthy report</span></a> allows the the owners to be eligible for federal grants investment tax credits to restore and rehabilitate their properties, it does not offer them legal protection from demolition or alteration by their owners. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As defined by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, a landmark is a "building, property or object that has a special character or special historical or aesthetic interest or value as part of the development, heritage, or cultural characteristics of the city, state, or nation". With the quality of the pedigree, architecture, art alone St. Michael's would be an obvious landmark. Given its exemplar social history, one's argument is only further bolstered. Yet, according to the 50-year old law that protects landmarks in NYC, this complex is still not yet a landmark. This distinction has been debated at previous hearings in 1980 and 2008. It will again be heard on <a href="http://www.nyc.gov/html/lpc/downloads/pdf/Backlog_95/Backlog_Fact%20Sheets/FactSheet_81.pdf"><span style="color: #0b5394;">November 12th</span></a>. This time, let's ensure St. Michael's is with us in perpetuity! </span></div>
LANDMARK WESThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15801043184413017499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1299065661683728179.post-54923367796819829242015-09-25T07:21:00.002-07:002015-09-25T07:21:16.795-07:00Urgency for St. Michael's<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdWCx57No9fCVGGGXWJMq2nhl4AzwJHnROis2Ts2VJAltSRx5YKT2tGBuEZH4ykF2GkZMobVOuQW_thIAtaMgN3jBjeOgLIs7aEE6BRsLxtdR_MspHYtIjmOJ-U81_FjWofTPSMpsLwJ5b/s1600/BANNER.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="91" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdWCx57No9fCVGGGXWJMq2nhl4AzwJHnROis2Ts2VJAltSRx5YKT2tGBuEZH4ykF2GkZMobVOuQW_thIAtaMgN3jBjeOgLIs7aEE6BRsLxtdR_MspHYtIjmOJ-U81_FjWofTPSMpsLwJ5b/s400/BANNER.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
What seems to be the rush? St. Michael's has been a proven civic
neighbor for generations. The current church is the Congregation's
third house of worship in NYC and has been serving the city since it was
first dedicated in 1891--nearly a century and a quarter ago--so why
designate it? Why now?<br />
<br />
The St. Michael's Church,
Parish House and Rectory work together to form a unique ecclesiastic
campus. What is more, is that although they accrued over time, they are
all by the same architect, Robert Gibson.<br />
<br />
The New York
City Landmarks Preservation Commission has previously heard this site
twice, once in 1980, and once in 2008, but the Commissioners have never
taken an action. As the LPC attempts to "clear the <a href="http://www.nyc.gov/html/lpc/html/backlog95/backlog.shtml"><span style="color: #0b5394;">backlog</span></a>"
the public will once again have an opportunity to defend this landmark
grouping as a legally recognized "Landmark" and allow it to enjoy all of
the benefits that come with this protection.<br />
<br />
While there will be a hearing for this site on November 12, 2015, this hearing is twice as important given <a href="http://landmarkwest.blogspot.com/2015/09/nice-work-we-filled-city-hall-to.html"><span style="color: #0b5394;">current legislation</span></a> proposed in City Council. Should <a href="http://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2271110&GUID=A66556A6-1DEA-4D5F-8535-92C31B2B2379&Options=ID%7CText%7C&Search=775"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Intro. 775</span></a>
pass, it will mean that should the LPC take "No Action"* when they vote
on the complex in 2016, that there is not another opportunity to
designate this complex until 2021; thus, the added urgency!<br />
<br />
*<span class="bodytext">A no-action letter is an administrative process
that allows items to be taken off the calendar without prejudice, and
with no judgment on the merits for designation. Such items could be
brought forward at a later time for designation.</span>LANDMARK WESThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15801043184413017499noreply@blogger.com0