Take Action on an Advocacy Campaign
Don’t Remove Limits on Supersized Developments and Override Landmarks Protections for Historic Religious Properties in the Budget Deal
Governor Hochul has announced that a “conceptual framework” has been reached with the State Legislature on the budget and a variety of unrelated issues being considered alongside it, which includes proposals to remove all state limits on the allowable size of residential development in NYC (allowing the City to rezone any neighborhood to as dense as it likes) and to override landmarks protections to allow construction on the site of landmarked churches and other religious properties. Tell state legislators that you OPPOSE both actions NOW!
Don’t Let “City of Yes” Strip Zoning Protections and Allow Expansive Air Rights Transfers
Provisions in the newly released “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” would allow vastly increased options for transferring air rights from landmarks without their current public review, and loosen height restrictions for new market-rate developments in already densely developed areas of Manhattan. Tell our elected officials to oppose these elements of the plan.
City Can’t Ignore the Public, Must Do the Right Thing at 388 Hudson Street
Make sure the City listens to community input and demand that any development here be guaranteed to remain 100% permanently affordable, and use a lower, bulkier configuration that maximizes housing while minimizing height and impact on JJ Walker Park and the Greenwich Village Historic District.
Don’t Let the State Legislature Gut Landmark Protections
A new bill in the State Legislature would for the first time remove landmark protections for churches and other religious properties, allowing structures of national historic significance to be altered, built upon, and even demolished. Tell legislators they must not support the “Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act” until or unless it’s amended to ensure it does not strip these landmark protections away.
Don’t Gut the Rule that Protects Residential Neighborhoods Throughout NYC
The State Legislature will soon decide whether or not to lift the long-standing cap on the allowable size of residential developments in New York City, which would enrich developers and destroy the scale of neighborhoods. There are much more effective ways of addressing the need for housing — especially affordable housing — in NYC that don’t involve huge developer giveaways like this, and don’t encourage the destruction of existing rent-regulated affordable housing.
Remarkable Film History Is One More Reason to Landmark South of Union Square
The incredibly important role the area of Greenwich Village and the East Village South of Union Square has played in over a century of the development of the film industry is just one more reason this endangered historic area needs and deserves landmark protection.
Preserve + Protect Women’s History Landmarks South of Union Square
Recognize and protect more than 20 women’s history sites South of Union Square and support designation of the area as a historic district as proposed by Village Preservation.
Submit Comments on Landmarks Preservation Commission’s Proposed Outdoor Dining Rules
The Landmarks Preservation Commission has proposed new rules to govern permitting outdoor dining on sidewalks and in roadbeds in historic districts and adjacent to landmarked buildings. Tell the LPC that these proposed rules must be refined to better preserve historic sites and districts.
The City’s Abetting the Destruction of Homes and Historic Buildings Must Stop!
Demand that the City take real action to stop the epidemic of people’s homes and historic buildings being damaged and destroyed by work on the City’s watch.
Recognize and Preserve Black History Landmarks
Village Preservation has been waging campaigns to seek landmark designation for key Black history sites in Greenwich Village and the East Village that are unprotected and vulnerable to demolition. These sites represent the rich array of African American history in our neighborhoods over the last 200 years, from battles for abolition, civil rights, and voting rights, to vibrant cultural, literary, artistic, and musical movements. Much of this history has been overlooked, ignored, or undervalued.
Save the Merchant’s House Museum
Proposed construction next door to the Merchant’s House Museum could do grave damage to this historic and vital public resource. No construction should be allowed at 27 East 4th Street that would leave the museum damaged or prevent public access to or enjoyment of this beloved institution.
Save the Historic Eye and Ear Infirmary at 13th Street and Second Avenue!
The historic New York Eye and Ear Infirmary (NYEEI) at East 13th Street and Second Avenue is in grave and imminent danger of being lost forever. Mount Sinai is seeking to close NYEEI and the entire Beth Israel hospital of which it is a part. If they do, these buildings will likely be sold off to a developer, and the historic NYEEI destroyed. Even if the hospital closure is avoided, Mount Sinai has made clear they want to close NYEEI, and will likely sell off and demolish the building. Only landmark designation can save it.
Landmark 50 West 13th Street, Home to 19th-Century Black Civil Rights Crusaders and 20th-Century Theater History
The 1846 house at 50 West 13th Street, longtime home of the historic 13th Street Repertory Theater, is critically endangered. In the 19th century, it was for decades the home and place of business of Jacob Day, one of New York’s most prominent and successful African American citizens and civil rights crusader; and for years the home of revered abolitionist, suffragist, and educator Sarah Smith Tompkins Garnet.
Demand the City Recognize + Preserve Our Lady of Guadalupe, NYC’s First Spanish Church
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church at 229-231 West 14th Street was New York City’s first church for a Spanish-speaking congregation or for congregants from the Spanish-speaking world. Unfortunately, the church is now endangered, and the City has refused to act. The City should reconsider its refusal and landmark this historic structure, before the opportunity to do so is lost.
Support landmarking the proposed South of Union Square Historic District NOW!
The announcement of plans to demolish nearly an entire blockfront in South of Union Square, on Third Avenue between 10th and 11th Streets, including buildings nearly 200 years old and sites of great importance to the development of 20th-century art and film, speaks to the urgent need for landmark designation to finally move ahead.
New York’s Diverse Histories Are Endangered and Require Landmark Protections, On and Off 14th Street
Village Preservation is fighting to secure landmark protections for an array of sites on and just off 14th Street that represent so much about the diverse histories of New York City. Several are imminently endangered. And all have been proposed for landmark designation by Village Preservation, but the city has so far failed to act.
Save Theatre 80 and 78-80 St. Mark’s Place!
Now that Theatre 80 and the buildings in which it’s located at 78-80 St. Mark’s Place have been sold at auction, the City MUST step up to ensure this vital cultural institution and New York City landmark is preserved.
The City’s Plan to Save Landmarked Buildings from Destruction Needs Teeth and Specifics to Back It Up
The city’s recently released plan to address the destruction of landmarked properties on its watch says a lot of the right things, but doesn’t offer many specifics about how it will get there. Urge the Mayor, the Landmarks Preservation Commission, and the Department of Buildings to add teeth to their plan so that it can actually protect the historic structures that are now or will be endangered.
Stop the Siting of Oversized and Unnecessary 5G Towers in Our Neighborhood
Demand the City rethink its program to place ungainly, 32-ft.-tall Link NYC 5G towers in our community; consider impacts upon landmarks and historic districts; allow for true public review and input; and stop the installation of huge concentrations of these towers in areas where they are clearly not needed and would have unmitigated negative impacts.
With Julius’ Landmarked, City Must Protect Other Civil Rights and Social Justice Sites
The city just landmarked Julius’ Bar at 159 West 10th Street after a 10-year campaign by Village Preservation. The action should be commended, but there are still many more historic sites connected to the struggles and histories of LGBTQ+ people, African Americans, women, people with disabilities, and many others that need landmark protection.
Tell Councilmember Rivera to Finally Keep Her Promise to Support Needed Protections for the Neighborhood She Represents
When she ran for City Council in 2017, Councilmember Rivera publicly pledged that she would not support the Mayor’s Tech Hub plan unless it came along with comprehensive zoning or landmark protections for the surrounding neighborhood. To this day, she has yet to secure a single additional neighborhood protection nor publicly support a single one.
Preserve one of NY’s “Seven to Save” — Landmark #SouthOfUnionSquare NOW!
The proposed South of Union Square Historic District has been named one of New York State’s “Seven to Save” — one of the seven most important endangered historic sites in all of New York State. Tell our city’s leaders — via email, tweet, or both — that they need to act immediately and support landmark designation of this area.
Urge City Officials to deliver on their ‘Equity Framework’ and landmark 285-287 East 3rd Street
Tell the Landmarks Preservation Commission to take immediate action in honoring the legacy of Steve Cannon with 285-287 East 3rd Street’s designation as a landmark.
Recognize and Protect LGBTQ+ Landmarks South of Union Square
There is a rich array of sites connected to LGBTQ+ history in the area of Greenwich Village and the East Village South of Union Square that lack landmark protections. As a result, these enormously important historic sites are vulnerable to compromise or demolition, and more are being lost every day. Send a message that we must protect or support protections for this incredibly important and underrepresented history
Expand Landmark Protections in the East Village
Urge the LPC Chair to to support significantly expanded landmark protections in the East Village, as advocated for by the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation and a broad coalition of neighborhood and preservation organizations.