NYC’s Landmarks Preservation Commission

The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) regulates what can and cannot be built/altered in historic districts across the city. The Historic Districts Council (HDC) reviews every public proposal to the city’s landmarks and historic districts and provides testimony on whether or not HDC believes the architectural changes should be changed or supported.

An empty lot, formerly occupied by a neo-Grec style rowhouse designed by Cleverdon & Putzel and built in 1885, and demolished between c. 1940 and 1980 has an application is to construct a new building at 137 West 131st Street in Central Harlem – part of the West 130-132nd Street Historic District.

HDC writes:

HDCis generally comfortable with this proposal but we find two items to be in need of modification. First, the proposed windows should be aluminum-clad wood windows, these will provide finer detailing more appropriate to a house of this scale. Second, we question the need for the bulkhead on top of the roof top extension. We believe that the code does not require this bulkhead and that the requirement for rooftop access could be accomplished with a steel ladder on the front of the extension. We ask that the applicant verify this understanding as the bulkhead adds an awkward element to an already excessive protrusion.

Exhibit at Kente Royal Gallery

Make sure to check out the current exhibit at Kente Royal Gallery:

2373 ADAM CLAYTON POWELL JR BLVD NEW YORK NY 10030
Wednesday – Friday
2pm – 8pm
Saturday & Sunday 12pm to 8pm
[email protected]

Pelham Fritz Center Has Re-Opened

The Pelham Fritz Recreation Center has reopened In Marcus Garvey Park after a 2+ year hiatus!

During the height of the pandemic, the Center was repurposed as a food distribution hub in support of COVID-19-related services. The center remained closed while they made improvements to the building—including reconstruction of the front lobby, retaining walls, and park entrance.

The center now features a new vestibule, new signage, and front windows, and enhanced ADA accessibility.

They’re excited to welcome members back and they’re inviting the Harlem community to join.

Membership is free for New Yorkers 24 years and under and low-cost for adults and seniors.

Testing Sites

Harlem River Houses

Because Harlem River Houses has been designated a historic site, the Historic Districts Council has weighed in on a renovation plan for the grounds of this NYCHA property.

What does the HDC do? Well…The Historic Districts Council (HDC) reviews every public proposal affecting New York City’s landmarks and historic districts and provides testimony to the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) whenever it is needed.

Below is their response to the Harlem River Houses project:

CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS A housing project consisting of three groups of buildings and surrounding sites designed by Archibald Manning Brown and built in 1936-1937. Application is to modify landscape elements, install miscellaneous fixtures and signage, and replace doors and storefront infill. Architect: Curtis + Ginsberg Architects  The 1975 designation report for the Harlem River Houses emphasizes the importance of the site’s landscaping, which was designed under the supervision of Michael Rapuano. Today’s proposal ignores the historic significance of this landscaping, and displays a confused mixture of benches, tables, lighting, fencing, and signage. Not only are these elements at odds with the historic fabric of the Harlem River Houses, but they are also at odds with one another. They do not speak a consistent design language, and instead appear as a hodgepodge of items haphazardly selected from a catalogue and tossed into an otherwise thoughtfully considered, historically significant public space. The benches alone are a prime example. The Preva Urbana benches in today’s proposal appear anemic in scale, unlikely to withstand the demands of public use. Moreover, they lack the warmth and durability of Rapuano & Clarke’s original design. The Vera Solo Curved benches are even worse. In fact, the models in the reference image illustrate how unwelcoming, how unergonomic these curved benches are. The models’ backs are hunched, and their bodies contorted. They would likely be more comfortable sitting on the lawn. It is no coincidence that Rapuano & Clarke’s various benches continue to appear in parks throughout New York City: their design has yet to be beat. The seating throughout the Harlem River houses should be, if not an exact replica, at least inspired by the original design — something that would be insisted upon were this an historic park elsewhere in the city. The same can be said for the proposed streetlamps, the design of which is reminiscent of a three-legged spaceship in an H.G. Wells novel, hovering fifteen feet above the ground. Never mind that these fixtures are becoming the norm at other NYCHA properties, the residents of Harlem River Houses deserve better. The historic lamps are more human in scale. They provide warmth and intimacy, creating the feeling of home rather than that of an outdoor sporting arena. Like the original benches, the original lighting fixtures are ubiquitous throughout New York City, and should be restored. This pattern of specifications expedience also manifests in the proposed signage, which is comprised of backlit extruded lettering. The typeface in the proposed signage is Arial, which is a default font on Microsoft applications and was designed in 1982. This is a lazy design choice — even as a placeholder — say nothing of historically anachronistic. The signage system is oddly reminiscent of a 1990s suburban strip mall, and it has no place in a landmarked property. Instead, the signage should be inspired by the original. There is no shortage of lettering artists in New York who would be equal to the task of interpreting the original designs while meeting the needs of modern businesses. In short: do not revert to default solutions; hire a professional. Finally, the thoughtful design of the original fencing has been lost. The original Art Deco inspired design is replaced with six-foot tall utilitarian steel panels. These panels are unimaginative, inhumane, and lack historical precedent. The original fencing — with its hierarchical structure — should be restored.

Parked in Harlem