Woes elsewhere (historic preservation)

The City section of the New York Times, only available online through tomorrow, has an article about the state of historic preservation in NYC, "Amid the Facades, Furrowed Brows." From the article:

New York's still-hot real estate market has spawned more development than at any time in recent memory. The Bloomberg administration has embarked upon a string of rezonings to help accommodate a booming city population. Low-rise neighborhoods outside Manhattan, absorbing the brunt of new development, are desperately campaigning for historic protection. City Council members, meanwhile, are seeking a louder voice in preservation affairs. And for dramatic effect, there was the head-splitting saga over the preservation of 2 Columbus Circle, Edward Durell Stone's "lollipop" building.

"The importance of landmarking has been recognized by more groups and in more parts of the city than ever before," said Mitchell L. Moss, professor of urban planning and policy at the New York University Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. "Landmarks is no longer a small peripheral entity, but is now a pivotal part of decision-making in all of the communities in New York."

At the same time, growing stresses upon the agency have frayed nerves within preservation circles. A 2004 report by the Women's City Club of New York, endorsed by more than 60 preservation groups, called for reforms to increase the commission's openness and communications with the public. That theme was amplified at City Council hearings last year, when Councilman Bill Perkins effectively put the commission on notice: "There is a constituency out there that's concerned about these issues that may be broader, more diverse, more sophisticated, more committed, than any other constituency that is identified with any other city service or city function."
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Note that the kind of politics described in the box above happens in other cities as well. Charles Cassell wasn't reappointed to DC's Historic Preservation Review Board after voting against okaying the negative impacts of the MCI Center on the L'Enfant Plan.

Philadelphia's Historic commission has a majority of city employees as members. How high do you think they jump when told to do so by the Mayor?

Etc.

Index Keywords: historic-preservation