Looking Back and Looking Ahead

Preservation Progress in the Village, East Village, and NoHo 2003-2013, and the Road Ahead

The Bloomberg years were a challenging time for preservationists. Development reached a fever pitch, real estate forces pushed back hard against landmarking efforts, and powerful individuals and institutions enjoyed unparalleled access to and consideration from decision-makers in government. And yet in the ten years from 2003 to 2013, GVSHP and our allies managed to help secure landmark designation of more than one thousand buildings, and community-friendly “contextual” rezonings of nearly one hundred blocks – remarkable progress that will help preserve and shape the Village, East Village, and NoHo for years to come. And while there were losses, we actually helped stop four different plans for the tallest building ever in the Village – two in the Meatpacking District, one on Bleecker Street, and one on 13th Street and 5th Avenue – as well as chop down to size a slew of oversized, out-of-context projects.

Join Village Preservation Executive Director Andrew Berman as we look at the best and the worst of the last ten years – the many buildings, streets, and neighborhoods we saved, the heartbreaking losses, and the terrible projects we either just plain stopped or made a little less bad. We’ll also look at the newest threats looming on the horizon, from air rights transfers along the Hudson River waterfront to new high-rises along the University Place, Broadway, and 14th Street corridors. And we’ll take a look at the South and East Village, which still lack the comprehensive landmark protections they need and deserve, and talk about how to change that.