From our very first years, the Landmarks Conservancy has championed the cause of vacant, neglected, and threatened buildings. With the Conservancy’s help, the U.S. Customs House, a Beaux-Arts palace on Bowling Green, found new life as the home of the National Museum of the American Indian. In 1974, the Conservancy convinced the Department of Buildings to halt the demolition already in progress of 19th-century commercial buildings on the Fraunces Tavern block, and eventually purchased the five survivors and leased them to a private developer for conversion to residential and commercial use.
To safeguard the more than 21,000 buildings protected by the City’s Landmarks Law, the Conservancy works closely with property owners, community groups, the Landmarks Preservation Commission, and other public agencies.
We also advocate for buildings not yet landmarked, from sacred sites to private buildings across the boroughs.
Recent issues include:
Conservancy’s Grants Manager Speaks at Upstate Roundtables, Hosted by U.S. Sen. Gillibrand
Dozens of concerned members from religious organizations throughout upstate New York gathered to learn about funding programs from various federal and state agencies.
Study Underway to Preserve 1787 Landmark—Erasmus Academy Building
Erasmus Academy Building
Conservancy Helps Roosevelt Island Landmarks Get Needed Repairs
Blackwell House rendering with ramp and plants.
Conservancy Staff Examines 18th Century Ship at Ground Zero
Conservancy President Peg Breen and archaeologist Michael Pappalardo from consulting firm AKRF, Inc. examine the uncovered 18th century ship at Ground Zero.
Blazes Strike 3 Historic Churches
Fire damage inside the 1884 Metropolitan Baptist Church in Harlem.
Conservancy Attends ‘Big Cities’ Preservation Gathering
Severely damaged Ennis House in 2005. Photo courtesy National Trust for Historic Preservation
LPC Designates Another Federal From Conservancy List
Conservancy's “Federal Era Row House of Lower Manhattan” Report Cover
Share Your Views of Lindsay Era Preservation Issues
There is a major retrospective now underway on the Mayoralty of John Lindsay (1966-73), including an exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York, a television documentary produced by Thirteen/WNET, a book of essays edited by Sam Roberts, and a series of Symposia. Many of the most heated preservation issues of those years remain relevant today. Please share your views.
Conservancy Board Member Works to Stop Church Demolition
Our Lady of Loreto, Ocean Hill-Brownsville Brooklyn
Assembly Also Restores Funds for Historic Sites: No Final Budget
Staatsburgh—the Hudson River mansion—home of the 19th century financier Ogden Mills, is among the 25 New York historic sites threatened.
The Assembly joined the Senate in passing a one-House budget resolution to restore funding to keep State Parks and Historic Sites open. Each budget resolution differs however. There is no final budget. The governor has not accepted either Houses’ overall proposals.
Leading Preservation Economist Chides White House for Plan to Cut Preserve America, SAT
Donovan Rypkema is principal of PlaceEconomics and President of Heritage Strategies International. Rypkema is the author of numerous publications and a book, The Economics of Historic Preservation.
Conservancy’s Technical Director in Midst of Fight to Save Historic Brownstones
329 & 331 MacDonough Street. Photo by NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission
NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission Chair Thanks Conservancy for Support in 2009
Windermere apartments
Queens Borough President Salutes Conservancy for Guiding Synagogues to State, National Listings
Rabbi Michael Weisser, left, Rabbi Jonathon Pearl, Queens Borough President, Helen M. Marshall, Conservancy Sacred Sites Director, Ann-Isabel Friedman, Conservancy President, Peg Breen, and Rabbi Samuel Waidenbaum.
Conservancy Seminar Features Expert Panel on Sustainability in Historic Houses, Nov. 12
Walter Sedovic, Principal and CEO of Walter Sedovic Architects, discusses the importance of building responsibly.
Workshop Provides Hand-On Approach to Maximizing Energy Efficiency of Religious Institutions
The Rev. Lezlie Austin-Kennedy speaks at the Green Theology Workshop at the Church of St. Matthew and St. Timothy
Preservation is Sustainability: How to Make Your Older Building More Energy Efficient
Barbara Livingstone, Vice-President for Marketing at the Museum of the City of New York welcomes the audience
Thursday • May 7 • 6:30 PM at the Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street
Conservancy’s Technical Services Director Takes Part in Preservation Conference Roundtable
Conservancy Director of Technical Services, Alex Herrera
Conservancy Guides Historic Brooklyn Synagogues Towards State, National Register Listing
Ocean Parkway Jewish Center, on Ocean Parkway between Ditmas & Avenue F in Kensington, built in 1924-1926.
Moynihan Station Progress
Amtrak’s recent announcement that it will move into the landmark Farley Post Office is a welcome sign that behind the scenes work on Moynihan Station is paying off.
But funding issues remain.
Sacred Sites Director on Buffalo Panel
Sacred Sites Director Ann Friedman, a nationally recognized expert on restoring religious properties and issues
of church closings, will speak in Buffalo tonight.
Conservancy Interns Survey Bronx, Fight Fires
Bronx Survey Team Vermont graduate student Britta Fenniman, left, volunteer Ian Dull and Pratt graduate student Andito Lloyd.
This summer, the Conservancy’s survey of historic religious properties returned to the Bronx to complete our survey of Bronx Roman Catholic churches, commenced in 2005, and to undertake a survey of the borough’s historic synagogues.
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The Road to City Hall
City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr.
Hear what mayoral candidate William C. Thompson, Jr. has to say about preservation before the September primary
West Park Presbyterian
On July 14, Conservancy staff joined several dozen others to testify at an LPC hearing in support of designating West Park as an individual landmark.
The Road to City Hall
Councilmember Tony Avella
Hear what the mayoral candidates have to say about preservation before the September primary
Conservancy Guides Historic Queens Synagogues Towards State, National Register Listing
A colorful mosaic by A. Raymond Katz and Vincent Foscato
Conservancy Upset with Admirals’ Row Decision
Demolition of Most of Admirals’ Row Is Approved
Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit Passes Senate; Brings Redevelopment To Distressed Communities
Senate Passes Enhanced Preservation Tax Credit
Windermere Apartments Has New Owner
Windermere Apartments Has a New Owner. Photo: Librado Romero/The New York Times
The Landmarks Conservancy has been a longtime advocate for the Windermere Apartments, a Victorian-era brick masterpiece on the west side of Manhattan built in 1880-81.
Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit Update
Legislative talks first step towards expanding pre-tax credits. The Conservancy has been part of a statewide coalition which has supported getting historic tax credits. We are pushing for this and will keep you posted. Please see the below article for more information.
Preservation Lobby Day 2009
NYLC President Peg Breen
The third annual “NYC Preservation Lobby Day” Wednesday, May 6 at 11 a.m. at City Hall.
Cleaning and Repair of Lippold Sculpture
Here are some behind-the-scenes photos of the cleaning and repair of a Lippold Sculpture owned by the Conservancy and housed at the Four Seasons Restaurant.
Breen Makes Case for NYC’s Buildings
Not many people can view the fruits of their own work from their Manhattan office window. But from the 21st floor at 1 Whitehall Street at the southern tip of Manhattan, Peg Breen, the president of New York Landmarks Conservancy, can look onto the former
Governor Paterson Drops Preservation Tax
Thank you to everyone who responded to our alert urging the Governor not to limit the capital improvement exemption to new buildings.
Governors Island Reprieve
The State budget scheduled to be passed today contains $7 million in funding for the operation of the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation (GIPEC) and some $20 million in deferred monies for capital projects.
General Theological Seminary’s Latest Proposal
The New York Sun reports that the General Theological Seminary has presented to Community Board 4 a “compromise design” to build a seven-story, mixed-use residential building on Ninth Avenue
