Co-Sponsored by New York Preservation Archive Project and Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts

Earlier this year, Village Preservation released a first-of-its-kind analysis of all landmark designations in NYC since the law first allowed them in 1965. The results were illuminating, surprising, and in terms of the recent past, extremely concerning.

Documented for the first time by chronology is the vast array of buildings, parks, neighborhoods, trees, bridges, clocks, street patterns, and interior spaces that have been designated over the last six decades. Interesting patterns emerge showing when landmarking began to focus on certain kinds of places and sites, and when it began to turn away from them.

But there are also disturbing trends. With 38,000 properties designated over nearly 60 years, the analysis found a profound curtailing of new designations in recent years, particularly under Mayor Adams. It also found that since the passage of a bill pushed by real estate interests in 2016, the breadth and depth of designations have also plummeted. In spite of promises of “equity” in new designations, the numbers have plummeted in every corner of the city (though some, such as “the Manhattan Core,” more than others), and the Landmarks Preservation Commission has increasingly leaned upon designations of sites facing no immediate or foreseeable danger, and often those already protected in some way, while forgoing those under more imminent threat.

Village Preservation Executive Director Andrew Berman and Director of Research Dena Tasse-Winter will present the report’s meticulously detailed findings, discuss what to make of all of it with leaders from NYPAP and Friends, and open it to the public to answer questions and hear feedback.

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