On a given day, LANDMARK WEST! is on the front line, leaning on City Agencies to follow the written laws — intentions of the zoning resolution, public trust doctrine, landmarks law, etc. Today, for the first time in LW’s 35-year history, we find ourselves in uncharted territory, without a guidebook or manual, but as always, we are still in this together.
Together, yet for now, apart.
Our website remains a great source of content and we are quickly adapting our Keeping the Past for the Future children’s education program and public events to the new environment. We will begin sharing regular communications next week.
In the short term, while our physical office remains shuttered, please continue to reach out to us at landmarkwest@landmarkwest.org
Two quick updates to share:
1. LW’s Certificate of Appropriateness applications, where we review all proposed changes to landmarks that go before the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), continue! Visit LW’s C of A page for the latest proposed alterations and interventions to buildings in our historic districts. Although the LPC is working remotely like the rest of us, they have cancelled remaining March hearings, but do continue to schedule future hearings, all of which are subject to change. LW! will continue to post those applications as they become available and keep our website current.
2. Despite orders for crucial social distancing, construction citywide* inexplicably continues.
*Citywide perhaps, but not at 50 West 66th Street where the site of the proposed tallest building on the Upper West Side with more dedicated mechanical height than possibly any residential building in the history of human construction has remained stagnant for months. Our lawyers are busy preparing strategies in anticipation of the final written resolution from the January 28th Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) 2-2- tie decision. The BSA must formally post their resolution on their website, which has not yet occurred.
Know that we look forward to the days when we can once again join your building meetings, share the inside track on community organizing strategies, hear your impassioned statements at community board meetings, sit beside you at LW! screenings, presentations and book talks, and walk with you on tours of the glorious Upper West Side. We hope those days will be back soon.
Our best to each of you! Sean, Andra, Shannon & Will
