Continuing to Fight for 14 Gay Street and Adjoining Endangered Buildings

Photo of Exective Director Andrew Berman speaking, surrounded by many people holding signs of protest in very narrow street

At our November 14 demonstration and directly following, Village Preservation and State Senator Brad Hoylman, City Councilmember Erik Bottcher, and Assemblymember Deborah Glick urgently demanded that city agencies take swift action to punish the owner who undermined the landmarked 200-year-old house at 14 Gay Street, prevent harm from befalling his five other adjoining properties, ensure 14 Gay is completely preserved as it is dismantled to be faithfully rebuilt in its original form, and the system is reformed to ensure this type of debacle never happens again — read our letter here.

We received a speedy response from city agencies (here) agreeing to much of what we demanded, but in many cases the responses were short on specifics, and the commitments are far from guaranteed to be kept. Read our joint response to city agencies here, demanding more information and meaningful details and commitments regarding how they plan to punish the owner and others responsible, ensure the accurate reconstruction of the building, protect other nearby buildings, and guarantee that our historic buildings receive the oversight and protection they need and currently lack.

We will continue to stay on city agencies about this tragic situation, and push for fair, necessary, and appropriate outcomes from this case.

TO HELP:

November 30, 2022