GANSEVOORT MARKET NAMED ONE OF NEW YORK STATES
SEVEN TO SAVE
Fate of
Historic Neighborhood Hinges on Upcoming City Decisions on High Rise
Development and Historic District Designation
Greenwich
Village The Gansevoort Meat Market district in northwestern Greenwich
Village, proposed as a New York City landmark historic district by the
Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP), was named one of
New York States Seven to Save today (see attached map of
district). Gansevoort Market is the only site in the New York City metropolitan
region to be so named. The Seven to Save list is the annual
catalogue issued by the Preservation League of New York State of the most
important endangered historic sites in New York State.
Gansevoort Market is historic, it is unique, and without quick
action by the City, it is about to be destroyed, stated GVSHP Executive
Director Andrew Berman. The City must deny the request to build a 400
ft.-tall luxury residential hi-rise tower in the area, approve the proposed
historic district protections for the neighborhood, and help the wholesale meat
and food businesses that have called this area home for over 150 years to stay
here. If we lose Gansevoort Market now, a unique part of New Yorks
history, its character, and its economy will be gone forever, added
Berman.
On December
10, a proposal to build a 32-story, 400 ft. tall luxury residential hi-rise in
the middle of the district will get a second hearing before the New York City
Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA). Because current zoning does not allow
residential development, BSA approval is required to build the proposed tower.
However, not only would the tower destroy the scale of the neighborhood, it is
widely believed that residential development would displace the existing meat
businesses. It is anticipated that the inevitable complaints from the new
residents of the multi-million dollar homes about noisy early morning meat
truck deliveries and other essential elements of the functioning of the meat
market will eventually force the remaining meat businesses out. A decision on
the request is expected soon after the December 10 hearing, and a large turnout
against the project, coordinated by GVSHP and other community groups, is
expected.
Youre not going to pay millions of dollars for new home
and not complain about getting woken up by noisy meat trucks at 5 am every
morning and having to step through streets stained with animal blood and guts.
And those complaints will force the long-time meat market businesses which have
made this neighborhood out of the one area of Manhattan they can still call
home, stated Berman.
In early
September, after a three year effort, the Greenwich Village Society for
Historic Preservation submitted a proposal for designating a historic district
in Gansevoort Market to protect areas unique historic character. In early
2002, the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), which must approve such
designations, promised to take action on a historic district proposal for the
area before the end of the year. While the LPC has stated that they are
reviewing the proposal, no formal action has yet been taken.
We are
at the 11th hour, stated Berman. The City must act now
and designate the Gansevoort Historic district. Otherwise, everything we see
around us, the market neighborhood which has thrived for over 150 years, will
be gone.
GVSHP, local
merchants, and elected officials have been meeting with the City to discuss
ways to ensure that the meat and other wholesale food business are allowed to
remain in this area. Some of the areas market buildings are owned by the
City and remain empty, though there is a demand by wholesale meat businesses
for space in the neighborhood. Other privately held property is being
warehoused and left vacant in the hopes that the City will allow landlords to
tear down the existing market buildings and build luxury hi-rise residential
buildings. GVSHP is seeking a commitment by the City not to allow residential
development, to enact an historic district to prevent destruction of historic
buildings, and to continue to allow and encourage wholesale food and meat
businesses, which have been the backbone of this area for over 150 years, to
operate here.
For 150
years, this neighborhood has served as a market neighborhood, and its
cobblestoned streets, its projecting metal shed awnings, and its unique
architecture make it like no place else in New York City, or the world,
noted Berman. However, if a developer gets his way, well have a 400
foot tall luxury residential hi-rise in the middle of it all. The meat
businesses will be displaced, and landlords will line up to tear down their
buildings and replace them with a sea of hi-rises, added Berman.
In August,
2002, following lobbying by the Greenwich Village Society for Historic
Preservation, the Gansevoort Market district was determined eligible for
listing on the State and National register of Historic Places because the
district was found to be historically and architecturally
significant (see attached letter of determination). The determination
puts in place a review process for any work in the district which utilizes
State of Federal funding; however, it does not regulate projects solely using
private or City money, and does not prohibit the demolition of buildings. The
determination of eligibility for Gansevoort Market was the first such
determination of eligibility for a new area of Greenwich Village for listing on
the State and National Register of Historic Places since 1969.
The Greenwich
Village Society for Historic Preservations Save Gansevoort Market project
has been working for three years to secure the preservation of the Gansevoort
Market district. The group has lobbied for:
-
historic
district designation to preserve the built character of the neighborhood
-
denial of
applications to build residential buildings in the district
-
the New York
City Planning Commission and Department of Business Services to formulate
measures to ensure that Gansevoort Markets unique mix of businesses can
remain in the area
-
listing of
the area on the National Register of Historic Places, which would provide tax
incentives and grants to property owners seeking to maintain or restore their
historic properties.
The Save
Gansevoort Market effort has involved a coalition of residents, businesses,
preservationists, community leaders, and elected officials. GVSHPs Save
Gansevoort Market effort has generated over 5000 postcards and letters to City
officials in support of this preservation effort, and in favor of immediate
designation of a Gansevoort Market historic district.
We are
deeply grateful to the Preservation League of New York State for recognizing
the value of saving the Gansevoort Market neighborhood we hope that the
City will also see the wisdom of preserving this, Manhattans last
remaining market neighborhood, stated GVHP Executive Director Andrew
Berman. This support comes on top pf the strong support we have from
local elected officials such as State Senator Tom Duane, City Council Member
Christine Quinn, Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields, and Assembly
Member Glick and Congress Member Nadler. It also comes on top of support from
the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Municipal Arts Society, the
Landmarks Conservancy, the Historic Districts Council, the American Institute
of Architects NY Chapter, and Community Boards 2 & 4, Manhattan.
The
Preservation League of New York State has also provided financial support for
the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservations Save Gansevoort
Market effort, including a grant from Preserve New York, a grant program
of the Preservation League of New York State and the New York State Council on
the Arts. |