(Photos left to right: 150 Barrow Street; 159 Charles Street (on right); 354 West 11th Street)
PRESERVATION UPDATE
from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation
March 7 , 2007
CITY VOTES UNANIMOUSLY TO LANDMARK THREE MORE SITES IN THE FAR WEST VILLAGE
* Rare Historic Sailor's Hotel Included
*Designations Are Part of Commitment by City in Response to 'Campaign to Save the Far West Village'
*Further Promised Designations Still To Come
THREE MORE FAR WEST VILLAGE LANDMARK DESIGNATIONS: Yesterday the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission voted unanimously to designate three more sites as landmarks in the Far West Village -- the Keller Hotel at 150 Barrow Street, the Henry Wykoff House at 159 Charles Street, and the Edwin Brooks House at 354 West 11th Street. In its designation of the two houses, the Commission noted the incredible job the current owners had done caring for and preserving their historic properties, a sentiment GVSHP echoes. For further historic information on the three landmarked buildings, CLICK HERE.
GVSHP was particularly pleased by the designation of the Keller Hotel, one of only three remaining intact former sailors' hotels on the Greenwich Village waterfront, which had in recent years been empty and fallen into disrepair. The current owners, however, supported the landmark designation and are in the process of renovating the building as apartments -- a renovation which will also require the preservation of the one-story building to the hotel's east as a light and air easement for the new apartments. The other two remaining sailor's hotels are the former Seaman's Friends Society Hotel at 113 Jane Street, which was landmarked in 1999, and the former Holland Hotel at 396-97 West Street/305 West 10th Street, which was landmarked in 2006 as part of the new Weehawken Street Historic District GVSHP fought for.
ONGOING PROGRESS IN THE FAR WEST VILLAGE: Yesterday's designations are a result of the 'Campaign to Save the Far West Village' -- which included countless community groups, preservation organizations and elected officials -- and the commitment by the City to enact landmark and zoning protections in the area which consequently followed. In June 2005, after a year-and-a-half campaign led by GVSHP, the City announced an unprecedented joint downzoning and landmarking plan for the Far West Village. The downzoning, which stopped several out-of-scale projects and imposed height and bulk limits for any future developments, was enacted in October, 2005 (CLICK HERE for more information). The landmark plan promised by the City included a new landmark district and the expansion of the existing Greenwich Village Historic District into the Far West Village, as well as the designation of eight individual landmarks in the Far West Village. At GVSHP's urging the two proposed landmark districts were expanded in late 2005 (CLICK HERE for more information) and designated in May 2006. Yesterday's designations were the first three of the eight promised individual landmarks. CLICK HERE for a map and HERE for further information about the designations.
FURTHER DESIGNATIONS STILL TO COME: Five sites remain in the Far West Village which the City committed to designate as landmarks in 2005 but have not yet been acted upon. Though the City originally promised to designate all sites by Spring 2006, the Landmarks Preservation Commission's commitment to these sites still seems strong, and we expect to see further progress soon. The remaining sites are:
HOW TO HELP:
To join GVSHP or support our preservation efforts, CLICK HERE.
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PRESERVATION UPDATE
from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation
November 7 , 2006
HEARINGS FOR THREE MORE POTENTIAL FAR WEST VILLAGE LANDMARKS 11/14
Next Tuesday, the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission will hold hearings on the proposed landmark designation of three more Far West Village buildings: the Keller Hotel at 150 Barrow Street (click here to view), the Henry J. Wykoff house at 159 Charles Street (click here to view) and the Edwin L. Brooks House at 354 West 11th Street (click here to view). In June of 2005, in response to a drive for landmark designation of the Far West Village led by GVSHP, the City promised to expand the Greenwich Village Historic District three blocks west, create a Weehawken Street Historic District, and designate eight additional individual landmarks in the Far West Village (see here). The Greenwich Village Historic District expansion and Weehawken Street Historic District were designated this past May (see here), while these three proposed landmarks are the first of the eight promised individual designations. For more information on the buildings, see the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s descriptions, click here.
If you are interested in attending or testifying at the hearing, come to the Landmarks Preservation Commission at 9 am on Tuesday, November 14th, at One Centre Street (at Chambers Street), 9th floor. Comments addressed to the Landmarks Preservation Commission can also be e-mailed to comments@lpc.nyc.gov.
To join GVSHP or support our preservation efforts, CLICK HERE.
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PRESERVATION ALERT
from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation
September 29, 2006
MORE FAR WEST VILLAGE LANDMARKING ADVANCES
Far West Village Landmarking Progress Continues: Following through on the City’s 2005 promise to extend landmark and zoning protections in the Far West Village, on Tuesday the Landmarks Preservation ‘calendared’ (i.e. began the formal process of considering for landmark designation) three individual buildings in the Far West Village – 150 Barrow Street (the Keller Hotel), 159 Charles Street, and 354 West 11th Street. (CLICK HERE to see the New York TImes article about former Hotel.)
GVSHP is especially happy to see the City move forward with consideration of landmark designation of the Keller Hotel, one of three remaining intact former maritime hotels along the Greenwich Village waterfront, and the only one not protected by landmark designation (the former American Seamen’s Friend Society Hotel was landmarked in 1999, and the former Holland Hotel is part of the Weehawken Street Historic District GVSHP helped secure designation of earlier this year).
Additionally, the former Keller Hotel has been in a state of disrepair for many years, with a planned renovation in limbo; we are hopeful that landmark designation will help secure its seemingly tenuous future.
In 2005, in response to the campaign led by GVSHP for landmark protections for the Far West Village, the City announced a plan to extend the Greenwich Village Historic District three blocks west, create a new Weehawken Street Historic District, and designate eight individual landmarks in the Far West Village (CLICK HERE for map). The Greenwich Village Historic District extension and Weehawken Street Historic District were designated in May of this year. These three buildings are the first of the promised eight designations, which also includes the entire Westbeth complex, Charles Lane, 370 and 372 West 11th Street, and 110 Horatio Street.
To join GVSHP or support our preservation efforts, CLICK HERE.