Landmarks Commission Won’t Cut Public Reviews

After strong resistance from preservationists and political leaders, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) has indicated it will abandon several controversial procedural changes that would have cut the public out of the review and approval process for certain alterations to historic buildings. 

At a public hearing this week, the LPC agreed not to exempt certain rooftop and rear-yard additions from public review; a proposed rule would have left such decisions to commission staff. The LPC also backed away from allowing removal of cast-iron facades and cast-iron vault lights from landmarked buildings and historic districts. Finally, the LPC will not allow its staff to approve substantive changes to buildings it deems “no style” or “non-contributing.” 

“We’re very gratified that months of pushback have had the desired effect,” says Andrew Berman, long-time executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation. The society and eight other preservation groups mounted a letter-writing campaign that resulted in 4,000 letters to the LPC opposing the proposed changes, arguing that they would have reduced transparency of the commission’s decision-making process. City Council Speaker Corey Johnson was among the political leaders who opposed the changes. 

“Once the pushback became so vociferous, the commission decided to change course,” Berman adds. “A lot of people were very impassioned about this.” 

The controversial rule changes were originally proposed last year, and the LPC will vote publicly, possibly this summer, on any changes to its review process. 

The LPC is in a moment of transition and turmoil. Meenakshi Srinivasan’s resignation as chair is effective today. Appointed by Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2014,  she was criticized by many preservationists for helping execute the mayor’s pro-development agenda. Others praised her for opening the New York City Archaeological Repository and for developing an enhanced map of landmarked properties. The mayor has not yet named her successor.