21st AnnuAlPreservAtion ConferenCe series

MArCh 2015

The Historic Districts Council is the citywideadvocate for New York’s historic neighborhoods. For more than forty years, HDC has worked to ensure the preservation of significant historic neighborhoods, buildings and open spaces, to uphold the integrity of the Landmarks Law and to further the preservation ethic.

Friday, March 6, 2015Keynote and Opening Reception

6:30 pmDiana Center at Barnard College

3009 Broadway Morningside Heights

Plus the Preservation Fair!

Wednesday, March 11, 2015Barack Obama Slept Here: Recognizing Today’s Sites of Cultural Significance 6:30 pmEldridge Street Synagogue12 Eldridge StreetLower East Side

Wednesday, March 18, 2015 Tomorrow’s Yesterdays: Historic Districts of the Future6:30 pmShapeShifter Lab18 Whitwell PlaceGowanus

Wednesday, March 25, 2015Cocktails at the Post Office: Adaptive Reuse and Public Institutions 6:30 pmMoMA PS122-25 Jackson AvenueLong Island City

Landmarks at 50 Honoring Our Past, Imagining Our Future

The 2015 Preservation Conference Series celebrates the milestone 50th anniversary of the New York City Landmarks Law and imagines what preservation might look like in the future. Since 1965, preservation activities have had a tremendous, positive effect on New York City, showing that preservation is neither weepy nostalgia nor dusty museums. Preservation is active work, which engages diverse communities across the city and both reflects and informs New York’s cultural, political and economic milieu. Innumerable successes have been won in the last 50 years, but there is still great work to be done.

This year’s Conference will consist of a keynote with an opening reception and three panels presented during the month of March. The opening evening will also include the Preservation Fair, where local advocates working on specific preservation campaigns will have the opportunity to present their efforts in a publicly engaging way. The Conference Panels, each presented in a different borough, will feature preservationists, historians, advocates and innovators discussing past efforts, current issues and future concerns. By presenting the panels in different venues throughout the month, the 2015 Conference Series will connect with a wider and more diverse audience in this landmark anniversary year.

Keynote and opening Reception

Friday, March 6, 2015, 6:30 pmDiana Center at Barnard College3009 Broadway Morningside Heights

Keynote address by Jake DobkinToday’s Youth and the Future of Landmarks

Jake Dobkin is a lifelong New Yorker and the publisher of Gothamist, a city-centric blog that focuses on news, events, food, culture and other local coverage. He writes the popular “Ask a Native New Yorker” feature, where he offers useful advice on neighborhoods, transit, culture and the ever-important work of interacting with your fellow New Yorkers on a daily basis. He lives in Park Slope with his wife, two kids and parents.

Preservation FairDuring the opening reception, attendees will be able to meet with civic and community groups who are working on neighborhood-based preservation campaigns. More than a dozen organizations will present their current efforts, including posters, images, postcards, petitions, brochures and other educational and advocacy literature. Come meet your fellow preservationists and learn about efforts to preserve our city.

For more information or to purchase tickets

visit hdc.org/2015-conference or call 212-614-9107

Wednesday, March 11, 2015, 6:30pmBaraCk OBama SLePT Here: reCOgNIzINg TODaY’S SITeS OF CuLTuraL SIgNIFICaNCe Eldridge Street Synagogue12 Eldridge StreetLower East Side

More than simply celebrating architectural merit, New York City’s cultural landmarks proudly declare that History Happened Here! Since the signing of the Landmarks Law, many buildings, both individually and as part of historic districts, have been recognized and protected for their cultural significance to the city. These sites, along with those that are still not officially recognized, speak to the vast history of nation-building, housing, social welfare, the arts, entertainment and all the innumerable aspects of life which New Yorkers have pursued since the city’s founding. Author David Freeland will discuss those cultural sites which have been officially designated by the Landmarks Preservation Commission since 1965. The panelists, Marie Flageul of 5Pointz, historian Eric K. Washington and Jay Shockley, former senior historian, Research Department, Landmarks Preservation Commission, will then discuss what the recognition and preservation of these places will look like moving forward. In an increasingly diversifying world, how do we best acknowledge and protect the significant places that speak to recently-arrived communities, historically-marginalized groups and emerging cultural movements?

CONFereNCe PaNeLS

Wednesday, March 18, 2015, 6:30 pmTOmOrrOw’S YeSTerDaYS: HISTOrIC DISTrICTS OF THe FuTureShapeShifter Lab18 Whitwell PlaceGowanus

When Brooklyn Heights was designated the very first New York City historic district in 1965, the architectural styles found there exemplified the types of buildings that the Landmarks Preservation Commission saw as worthy of protection. While protecting classic Federals and grand rowhouses has never gone out of style, over the past 50 years, the question of what types of buildings can be landmarked has slowly been re-examined. Beginning in 1973 with the designation of the SoHo-Cast-Iron District, acceptance has slowly warmed to the potential diversity of historic districts, including those with vernacular or industrial buildings. This panel will include a presentation of the evolution of historic districts by architectural historian Francis Morrone, before considering the issues of the present and future. The panelists, urban planner Paul Graziano, Gowanus advocate Marlene Donnelly and Ward Dennis, Columbia University professor and Brooklyn Community Board 1 member, will discuss potential historic districts, technological and bureaucratic strategies for looking ahead and questions such as Can Gowanus ever be designated? and Is there a place for a historic district in suburban Queens?

The museum at eldridge Street restored and maintains the eldridge Street Synagogue, a magnificent National Historic Landmark that first opened its doors in 1887. The eldridge Street Synagogue is the first great house of worship built in america by eastern european Jewish immigrants. The museum presents tours, cultural events and educational programs that explore Jewish american traditions, history and culture; immigrant, urban and New York City history; and the forms and language of architectural and cultural preservation.

ShapeShifter Lab is a performance space in the Park Slope/ gowanus area of Brooklyn, hosting the world’s most innovative artists who are looking for a flexible platform to present their work. ShapeShifter+, the related non-profit organization, links the surrounding community of artists with local NY neighborhoods by presenting a wide variety of performances, workshops, seminars and lessons. ShapeShifter+ presents multidisciplinary projects that engage audiences of varying ethnicities, age groups and genders. The ultimate goal is to find ways to blur the lines between these demographics through artistic expression, education and community engagement.

Wednesday, March 25, 2015, 6:30 pmCOCkTaILS aT THe POST OFFICe: aDaPTIve reuSe aND PuBLIC INSTITuTIONS MoMA PS122-25 Jackson AvenueLong Island City

New York City possesses a treasure trove of historic institutional buildings of grand character, which add immeasurably to our neighborhoods throughout the boroughs. Unfortunately, as schools, hospitals, libraries, police stations, post offices and military facilities age, require modernization or close, hard questions are raised about the next lives of these local landmarks. After looking at the history of these buildings and early examples of how some have been preserved and repurposed successfully, the discussion will focus on current and future projects that aim to reinvent these spaces to maintain not only their iconic and landmark facades, but also their valued place as neighborhood anchors. Dr. Jeffrey Kroessler, HDC board member and historian, will begin the panel with a look at the last 50 years of preservation and reuse before the present and future is considered by panelists Joseph Coppola, principal at Dattner Architects, Naomi Hersson-Ringskog, Executive Director of No Longer Empty and David Burney, Pratt Institute Planning and Placemaking Professor.

reLaTeD CONFereNCe PrOgramS: waLkINg TOurS

For tickets, please visit hdc.org or call 212-614-9107

Meeting locatons and directions for the tours will be provided a week prior. Tours generally last between one and a half and two hours.

Saturday, March 7, 2015, 12pmBrooklyn army Terminal: a Public Institution Transformed

Once the largest military supply base in the United States, Sunset Park’s Brooklyn Army Terminal has transformed over the past 30 years from a campus of warehouses, offices, piers and docks to a vibrant commercial hub, home to local artisans, manufacturers and cultural institutions. Designed by Cass Gilbert and completed in 1919, the Terminal’s Building B and its 52 acres of floor space was once the largest concrete structure in the world. Join guide Andrew Gustafson as we tour the massive complex, view the spectacular atrium of Building B and highlight the use, preservation and reuse of this former bustling hub of military industry as a new commercial center and part of the revitalized Brooklyn waterfront.

Saturday, March 14, 2015, 1pmeast Harlem Histories

As East Harlem, also known as “El Barrio” or “Spanish Harlem,” transitions into becoming known as “SpaHa,” this tour will focus on some of the neighborhood’s rich cultural and ethnic past. Join urban historian Justin Ferate to view delightful architectural treasures and cultural landmarks reflecting the neighborhood’s varied histories, from recent years and from generations past. Over its long history, East Harlem has been home to Cuban, Italian, Puerto Rican, African American and Jewish cultures, among others. Each group has left imprints on the community, but some of East Harlem’s touchstones are potentially endangered in the current reinvention of the neighborhood. Discover handsome civic structures, religious edifices, important cultural treasures, quality contemporary housing and a number of charming vest-pocket parks.

moma PS1 is one of the oldest and largest nonprofit contemporary art institutions in the united States. a catalyst and an advocate for new ideas, discourses and trends in contemporary art, moma PS1 actively pursues emerging artists, new genres, and adventurous new work by recognized artists in an effort to support innovation in contemporary art. In 1976, the art center which would become PS 1 opened in a deserted romanesque revival public school building in Long Island City. This building, dating from 1892, served as the first school in Long Island City until 1963, when the First ward school it housed was closed and the building was turned into a warehouse. after a building-wide renovation in the mid 1990s that preserved much of the original architecture, as well as most of its unique classroom-sized galleries, the museum reopened in 1997.

Saturday, March 21, 2015, 11amvillage Institutions

Over the years, Greenwich Village has attracted an evolving roster of cultural and philanthropic organizations. Join architectural historian Matt Postal for a walking tour that considers the unique structures commissioned by these groups and ways in which these distinguished historic buildings have been thoughtfully adapted to contemporary purposes. Of particular interest will be the pioneering work of architect Giorgio Cavaglieri, who during the 1960s breathed new life into both the Astor Library (1853-81) and the Jefferson Market Courthouse (1874-77). Participants will learn about the history of these institutions and how specific structures have been preserved and re-imagined as schools, libraries, residences and performing art centers. Likely stops include Public School 16 (begun 1869), the Village Community Church (1847), the Mercantile Library (1890) and the original Whitney Museum of American Art (1838/1931).

Saturday, March 28, 2015, 11amClassical Culture at Carnegie Hall

Skip the practice and get to Carnegie Hall with the Historic Districts Council! Arguably the most famous performance venue in the world, Carnegie Hall is an architectural gem inside and out. Designed by William Burnett Tuthill and completed in 1891, the building was funded by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie as part of his massive cultural endeavors. Join Carnegie Hall historians to tour the heart of this cultural icon, the seminal Isaac Stern Auditorium, home to world-class music since the 19th century and named after the famous violinist whose efforts worked to save the building from demolition in the 1960s. We will also peek into the beautiful and newly created Resnick Educational Wing, home to the Weill Music Institute’s diverse educational programming.

Saturday, April 11, 2015, 11amDumBO and Fulton Ferry

When the Fulton Ferry Historic District was designated in 1977, the small district, with its 15 buildings of mostly low-scale commercial and residential structures, recognized not only classic mid-19th-century architecture, but also the pivotal part this area played in the early development of Brooklyn. Exactly 30 years later in 2007, Fulton Ferry’s neighbor DUMBO was designated, recognizing one of New York City’s most significant surviving industrial waterfront neighborhood. In contrast to Fulton Ferry, DUMBO consists of over 90 buildings, most of which were heroically-proportioned manufacturing structures and warehouses, epitomizing the late-19th- and early-20th-century industrial character of the Brooklyn waterfront. Join HDC board member and Director of the DUMBO Neighborhood Alliance Doreen Gallo for a walking tour of these diverse adjacent neighborhoods and a discussion of the current battles to maintain their historic integrity.

Saturday April 18, 2015, 11amPreserving west Chelsea

Between 1970 and 2009, three small but significant historic districts were designated by the Landmarks Preservation Commission in West Chelsea. Led by architectural historian Matt Postal, participants will walk through each district, tracing their shared history and evolution. While the Chelsea Historic District (and its extension) emphasized rows of fine-looking brick town houses and religious buildings that stood on property that was once owned by scholar and real estate developer Clement Clarke Moore, the later districts contain structures connected to the abolitionist movement and the Civil War, as well as the Hudson River’s evolution into a major mercantile center at the start of the 20th century. Highlights will include Cushman Row (1840), the General Theological Seminary (1838-1900), Empire Diner (1943), R.C. Williams Warehouse (1927-28) and a segment of the former New York Central Freight Railway (1929-34) now better known as the High Line.

Support is provided in part by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. Additional support is provided by City Councilmembers Margaret Chin, Inez Dickens, Matthieu Eugene, Daniel Garodnick, Vincent Gentile, Corey Johnson, Ben Kallos, Stephen Levin, Mark Levine, and Rosie Mendez.

The 2015 Annual Preservation Conference is co-sponsored by HDC’s Neighborhood Partners, more than 500 community-based organizations across the city. It is part of the NYC Landmarks50 Alliance celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Landmarks Law.

The title “Landmarks at 50: Honoring Our Past, Imagining Our Future” was created by Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel, Chair of the NYC Landmarks 50 Alliance, and is used with permission.

For more information or to purchase tickets please visit hdc.org or call 212-614-9107