Left rectangle ads redesigned
Robert Ripps book
History of Tribeca Buildings
In the News: Another World Trade Center Sidewalk Is Open
••• The north side of the Liberty Street sidewalk between Greenwich and Church is open. —Downtown Express (pic courtesy WTC Progress)
••• Congratulations, Bâtard: It won Best New Restaurant at the James Beard Awards. —New York Times
••• “Police detectives have identified the car involved last month in a hit-and-run accident outside the Spruce Street School—and in another accident in Brooklyn less than hour later—but have yet to question the owner, a New Jersey resident who is considered a suspect, according to the First Precinct’s newly appointed commanding officer.” They need a witness who can identify her as the driver. —Tribeca Trib
••• “The Tribeca Trust is raising concerns that [Tribeca] may be at the bottom of the de Blasio administration’s list of priorities when it comes to affordable housing.” You think? “the Trust estimates there are currently 11 historic structures, which contain 110 affordable, rent-stabilized apartments that are in serious danger of being razed soon.” —Broadsheet
••• Sessanta, the new Italian restaurant at the Sixty Soho (née 60 Thompson) hotel, should open this month. —Eater
6 Comments
Comment:
Medium rectangle #1 (top)
Right column rectangle ads
Mega rectangle
Restaurant guide icon
“The 11 buildings that the Trust fears may soon be demolished include 67 Vestry Street, 57-59 Franklin Street, 368 Broadway, 61 Warren Street. There are also two buildings on West Broadway (65 and 71-73), three on Chambers Street (94, 96, and 98), and two on Murray Street (57 and 59).”
It would be more accurate to say these buildings lack Landmarks designation so that they *could be* more easily demolished. The Trust’s “fears” could be considered alarmist at best, paranoid at worst, since they are apparently based on no other facts, such as DoB filings, etc. Furthermore, which of these 11 buildings merit landmarking (and why) based on LPC criteria, which do not include the preservation of affordable housing per se?
“To become a historic district, the proposed collection of buildings must:
* Represent at least one period or style of architecture typical of one or more eras in the City’s history;
* Have a distinct “sense of place”;
* Have a coherent streetscape”
There may be not DOB filings yet, but many are very much on the way to being demolished:
—67 Vestry: https://tribecacitizen.wpengine.com/2014/08/01/first-peek-67-vestrys-new-design/
—57-59 Franklin: https://tribecacitizen.wpengine.com/2014/07/21/in-the-news-a-new-18-story-building-on-franklin-street/
—61 Warren, 65 and 71-73 W. Broadway, 57 and 59 Murray: https://tribecacitizen.wpengine.com/2014/10/06/exactly-which-buildings-are-for-sale-on-w-broadway/
Nevertheless, to continue to play devil’s advocate, what is the case for Landmarking these buildings? Location (proximity to a district) alone is not sufficient. Even if these buildings are to be located within a historical district, the LPC may not deem them as “contributing” to the district, e.g., if they have already been substantially altered or do not relate architecturally to the surrounding streetscape, and thus still allow their demolition upon application by the developer.
i hardly think that erik is being alarmist. tribeca has a long history of buildings being torn down to avoid landmarks designation. in the current real estate frenzy, anything is possible.
On the hit and run – if this driver was Joe Schmo, he/she’d be arrested already. So, question is: what kind car owner, suspected of a hit & run, can worry the cops into making sure everything’s ironclad before sending an arrest to the DA? What kind of lawyer do they already have? Daily News & NY Post need a call. Tell that to her lawyer …
So these endless film/TV/print shoots bring in a large amount of money to the city, but the city doesn’t believe it should protect more of the historic, iconic, and now, hip, neighborhood that draw all these productions to shoot here. Isn’t this like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs?