The city recently announced plans to develop the city-owned Gansevoort Market Meat Center, located north of the Whitney Museum and south of Little West 12th Street, between Washington and West Streets in the Meatpacking District. Details are still somewhat vague on what’s being called “Gansevoort Square,” and any such plans would need to go through several layers of public hearings, reviews, and votes, including by the City Council. The city says a consultative process with the local community will follow.

Of course the city’s record on such consultative processes doesn’t inspire much confidence. Nevertheless, Village Preservation intends to closely monitor plans, inform the public of opportunities to participate and provide input, and work hard to impact the final outcome and ensure all concerns are heard.

Village Preservation has a special connection to this site and neighborhood, as we successfully proposed and lobbied for landmark designation of much of the neighborhood in 2003, and secured listing of the entire neighborhood (including this site) on the State and National Registers of Historic Places in 2007. As an initial step to help inform planning for this site, we have sent a letter to city officials outlining our thoughts, questions, concerns, and preliminary feedback on the potential project.