This Monday Village Preservation was joined by 150 neighbors, our colleagues in preservation, and elected officials for a rally protesting the decision by the City to go back on its prior commitment to landmark five 19th century Beaux Arts tenements at 112-120 East 11th Street (3rd/4th Avenues), and to approve a demolition application by one of the Mayor’s biggest fundraisers and campaign contributors so that the buildings could be replaced with a glitzy ‘Moxy’ hotel geared towards millennials. The developer was also recently appointed by the Mayor to a seat on the city’s Economic Development Corporation.

View video of the protest here and here, and photos here. See coverage here from amNew York, The Villager, Bedford + Bowery, Gothamist, DNAinfo, Curbed, EV Grieve, Patch, Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York, and Univision.

Village Preservation and fellow East Village and preservation groups reached out to the city more than two months ago letting them know of the threat to these buildings which they had determined “landmark-eligible” in 2008, and urged them to intercede before it was too late. The City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission not only failed to consider the buildings for landmark designation but even failed to respond to the request for more than two months, until AFTER the demolition permit application had been approved by the City. These buildings were not only rich in history but housed long-term tenants and affordable, rent-regulated units.

HOW TO HELP:

• Tell the Mayor you are outraged he is letting historic buildings and much-needed housing be demolished to make way for his fundraiser’s hotel, and urge him to change course >>