South Village Historic District Progress; 178 Bleecker Street Threatened
(L.) The proposed South Village Historic District; (R.) 178 Bleecker Street
GVSHP and our South Village Advisory Board recently met with the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) regarding progress on our proposed South Village Historic District. Last year the LPC promised to begin surveying the section of the proposed district west of 6th Avenue and to take action. The meeting was positive, and we are hopeful that we will see movement by the LPC soon. We have however continued to stress to the LPC that ALL of the proposed South Village Historic District faces immediate threats, and that action on the ENTIRE proposed district is needed as soon as possible.
One such threatened property is 178 Bleecker Street (MacDougal/Sullivan), part of a row of nine 1861 houses in the heart of the South Village with artists’ studios added in the 1920s. A new owner plans to demolish the building and replace it with an 8-story building, which would be totally out-of-context for the South Village and the adjacent MacDougal-Sullivan Gardens Historic District. GVSHP reached out to the LPC about the threat to 178 Bleecker Street, and has also reached out to the Department of Buildings to argue that the proposed building would not be legal due to its size, and that only a building a roughly the same height as the current building is allowed. We have also made the owner aware that we will fight to prevent any new building from exceeding roughly the height of the current one, in the hopes that he will reconsider demolition.
How to Help:
Write to the Landmarks Preservation Commission urging that they move ahead with designation of the proposed South Village Historic District as soon as possible, and act to protect threatened buildings such as 178 Bleecker Street.
Next: 03/18/09
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