There have been various reports circulating about completion of the Backlog 95, a Landmarks Preservation Commission initiative to settle landmarking  decisions for 95 sites across the five boroughs.  Those proclamations come with an asterisk, however, because one site, McKim Mead and White’s 1904 IRT Powerhouse (Eleventh Avenue between West 58th and 59th Streets) remains to be designated.

Today, as the clock runs out on a final decision, LANDMARK WEST! has confirmed that the Commissioners will vote on landmark designation of the Powerhouse on Tuesday, December 5th at 9:45am during their Public Meeting. The opportunity to speak is over, but this is a time for the public to gather in anticipation (and, hopefully, celebration!) for an outcome nearly four decades in the making.

First heard in 1976, then 1990, 2006, and again in 2015/2016 with the Backlog efforts, the Landmarks Preservation Commission is poised to act on the former IRT Powerhouse.

Designation would signal another precedent-setting, historic milestone for the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, as this structure–built as part of the City Beautiful movement when infrastructure was celebrated–could become the first active power plant in the country to receive landmark protections.  Please join us Tuesday to hopefully celebrate it once more.

Landmarks Preservation Commission

at 1 Centre Street, 9th Floor on 

Tuesday, December 5th at 9:45am 

We plan to arrive at 9:30am just to be safe!

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