March 13, 2012 Hon. Robert Tierney, chair Landmarks Preservation Commission 1 Centre Street, 9th Floor New York, NY 10007

URE: Mural at former Victor's Cafe, 240 Columbus Avenue Dear Chair Tierney, To follow up on the informational packet LANDMARK WEST! submitted on March 2, 2012, I am writing to share with you additional information relevant to today's discussion of the mural on the façade of the former Victor's Café, at 240 Columbus Avenue. Included here, please find:

Copy of petition authored by the Cuban Cultural Center of New York calling for the preservation of the Victor's Cafe mural, signed by more than 200 supporters.

Brief, selective photo-survey of "old signs, new stores". That is, successful and inspiring

precedents in which commercial tenants have retained artwork and signage of previous tenants to connect with their neighborhood's history.

Photos of the mural installation, capturing sculptor Arturo Martin at work, as well as cafe

owner Victor del Corral (previously submitted in packet dated March 2, 2012). We urge you, today, to protect this noteworthy artwork and to ensure the in situ preservation of this significant cultural artifact. Sincerely, Cristiana Peña Director of Preservation Enclosures Cc: Hon. Pablo Vengoechea, Hon. Frederick Bland, Hon. Michael Goldblum, Hon. Diana Chapin, Hon. Michael Devonshire, Hon. Joan Gerner, Hon. Christopher Moore, Hon. Margery Perlmutter, Hon. Elizabeth Ryan, Hon. Roberta Washington

Cuban Cultural Center of NewYork P.O. Box 2608, Times Square Sta.

New York, NY 10036

We, the undersigned artists, writers, architects, teachers, and other concerned citizens hereby petition the Landmarks Preservation Commission of the City of New York to designate as a landmark and preserve Arturo Martín's mural (commissioned by Victor del Corral in 1971 for Victor’s Café, and located since at West 71st Street and Columbus Avenue) for both its unquestionable artistic value and its significant relevance to the history of Manhattan's Upper West Side: --A-- Abel Acen,Complex Human Resources Manager. Case Foods, Inc. Amelia Aciar Roberto Aciar José Acosta, Artist-Engineer Susana Mestre Acosta,Archivist,Marymount School Iván Acosta, Playwright-Filmmaker Carlos M. Aguiar Graciela Aguiar Rafael Águila, Journalist/Publisher, El Cotorreo Magazine Magaly Alabau, Poet and Actress Lucero Alicea Ana María Alvarez Aurelio Alvarez Jay Alvarez, Actor Alejandro Anreus, Ph.D., Art Historian José A. Aquino, Special Counsel, Duane Morris LLP Maite Argüelles Aurora de Armendi, Artist, Printmaker, Teacher Magda Arrocha Connie Attanasio, Middle Village, NY Amada Avila, Journalist Luis Cruz Azaceta, Artist --B-- N. Bacallao Sylvia Baldeón, Artist Felix N. Barrera Maria Cristina Beyra, Director, Office of Faith Formation Mark Black Lourdes Blanco, Writer Gilbert Blondeau, Sweden Maritza Bolano, Esq. Peter Bonachea

Iraida Bustillo, Retired Teacher ---C--- Humberto Capiro, Classical Latin Productions Concepción de Cárdenas, Ret. U.N. Staff Ed Castañeda, Executive Director, HavanaNewYork.com Elena Castañeda,Young Professional Manuel Castedo, Architect Carol Castel, Stage Director Nico Castel, Tenor, Metropolitan Artist, Teacher Andrés Castellanos, Prof.Speech/ Parliamentary Procedures, Hispanic Inst.of Pastoral Formation Aurora Ramos Castellanos, Retired Sales Senior Agent, Continental Airlines Maria Teresa Castellanos, J.D Henio del Castillo, Graphic Designer Joe Del Castillo Johanna Coreas Jeff Cubeta Mabel Cuesta, Literature Professor and Writer, University of Houston --D-- Maribel Danta, Artist Pablo Danta, Hotel Industry Rosalia Danta, Sociologist Rafael Díaz Casas Sheila D'Nodal, MD, Vice-President, South Nassau Communities Hosp., Oceanside, NY Azalia DuFore --E-- Paul Echániz,P.E.,P.E.Director of Geotechnical Services CME Associates Osmundo Echevarría Vito Echevarría, Journalist Carlos Eire, T. Lawrason Riggs Prof. of History and Religious Studies, Yale University Enrique Enriquez, Architect Guillermo A. Estévez, Director (Ret.), International Rescue Committee, Inc., NJ Office Amelia Estévez Creedon --F-- Leo Falcón, Latin American and Caribbean Center, FIU Fernando Fernández, AIA Diana Ferrusquia Gladys Feijoo, Retired Professor, CUNY María del Pilar Florian --G-- Peter A. Gallett, Joaquín Gálvez, Writer

Alina Galliano, Poet Margarita García Ph.D., Professor Emerita, Psychology Dept., Montclair State Univ. Enrique A. García Ana Josefa García Ferro Blanco Rosa Gayoso Kathryn Giaimo, Thalia Spanish Theater Frank Gibbs Lourdes Gil, Poet and Essayist J. R. Gil-Berlinches, Electrical Engineer Joan Glickman, MSN psychotherapist Manuel Goicoechea, Architect Dr. Myrka González Natasha González Ana Gómez Jose M. Gomez y Alonso, R.Ph. Mirene I. Gómez, Retired Professor Arthur González, A.F.A. Jay Gonzalez, Reciter-Poet-Actor and Ink System Designer Oscar L. Grau Oscar Ramon Grau Jenny Torres Grau Berta Guzman Graffeo Nelly Guerrero --H-- Janice Hall, Singer-Actor Mercedes V. Hart Mark G. Hawbecker, Member Actor's Equity Association, AFL/CIO Beatriz Hernández Díaz de Arce Andres Hernandez, Professor Julio Hernández-Miyares, PHD, Emeritus Professor, Kingsborough C. College, CUNY Lois Howes, Long Island Arts Council at Freeport --I-- Antonio Ibarria, El Especial Anthony Ibarria Jr., General Manager, El Especialito Barbara Ingber, Director, Artists' Museum of NYC Maya Islas, Visual Artist and Poet, University of Houston Iraida Iturralde, Poet --K-- Cheryl King, Cheryl King Productions, Stage Left Studio --L— Felipe Lazaro, Director Editorial Betania Lawrence P.Lenzner, Esq.

Maria Teresa Castellanos Lenzner, JD Hector Lemagne Sandó Madeleine Liebert Raquel Lizardi Alexandra Loizzo, Writer Irina Loizzo, College student Robert Loizzo, Political Scientist Nancy Carret López-Balboa, Retired College Professor --M-- Eduardo Machado, Playwright Rafael Morales, Retired Arts Teacher and Painter Carmen C. San Miguel, Retired Professor, Horace Mann School, St. Bernard's School Jo-Ana Moreno, Club Cubano Inter-Americano Omar Madruga Zelde Malevitz Elena M Martinez, Ph.D.,Baruch College Professor Mignon Medrano, Art Collector, Founding Pres.Emerita, Cuban Museum of Art & Culture Alfredo F. Méndez, Esq. Mercedes Mestre Mercedes Mier, Bank Assistant Branch Manager Orfelina Miranda, Real Property Tax Specialist Rodolfo Molinet Oscar Montero, Professor, Lehman College --N-- Innocenta Nacimiento Jesús L. Noda Felina Del Nodal Luisa Del Nodal -- O-- Ramón Obeso Diane Ordonez Roberto Ordonez, Realtor Andres Orol de la Vina Mandy Otero, MBA, V.P. Federacion Mercantil Hispana --P-- Xiomara Pages, Writer, Journalist, Motivational Speaker Juanita Palacios-Sims, President/Founder, International Society of Black Latinos Jacira Paolino, President, SalsaPower.com Carmen Peláez, Playwright-Actress Manuel J. Pereira, Architect Rose M. Perez, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Fordham University

Rosa Perez-Koenig, DSA Professor Fordham University David Pérez, President of the Board of Ballet Hispanico Lisette M. Perez, Cuban Culture Enthusiast Mike Periu, Fellow, Kauffman Foundation Antonio Del Pino, Latham & Watkins LLP Carlos del Pino, Musician Roberto Piriz, Owner, JS Cheeses, Inc. George Pruitt, Photographer Rolando Pulido, Artist --Q-- Lydia V Quijano Manuel Quijano, Architect --R— Jose M.Ramos Gisela Ramos Reinaldo Ramos Sandra Jane Rios, MultiMedia Performance Artist Isel Rivero, Poet Jesús Rivera, Artist Vilma Rizo, President, South American Music Project, Inc. Mylene Robinson Lionel Rodríguez de la Torre, Cuban Journalist, former Cuban political prisoner Esperanza Rodriguez-S. Rafael Rodríguez Víctor Rodríguez Leonor Rozencvaig Prof. Perla Rozencvaig, Columbia University Elsa Ruiz, Photographer --S-- Angela Snchez Vanda Sanchez Dr. Verisimo F, Sanchez, Ret. Physician Erik Scott Terry S. Triades, Esq. David Sandoval, Esq. and Bandleader, Delexilio Music Project Margie Santiago Gustavo E. Segredo, CFO Vincent Fine Designs, Corp. Gisela Schera, Librarian, Yonkers, NY Steve Schera, Accountant, Yonkers, NY. Raquel Siege, Patron of the Arts Luis Alberto Soto, Economist Carolyn Steinberg, Composer Zulema E. Suarez, Ph.D., Associate Director, Success is an Inside Job

--T-- Carlos M. Taracido, Retired College Professor Ray Torres - Enterprise Architect Eugenia Torroella Isabelle Torroella Mario Torroella, Artist Pablo Torroella Taina Traverso, Founder/President, Taina Touch Art Enterprize Ramón Trigo Bode Renny Tirador, President, Out Of The Blue Advertising Antonio Del Pino, Latham & Watkins LLP --V-- Jorge Valls, Writer Víctor Varela, Artist and Playwright Nan Vega, Teacher Carmen Vega-Rivera Mariano Vidal, President, Architect-Classical Singer William Villalobos, Sr. Manager, John Wiley and Sons Marlenys Villamar, Journalist and Teacher Juana Vivó de Acrivos --Y-- Aleida Yepez, Traffic & Production Manager, Medical Education --Z-- Luis Zaldivar, Palladium Equity Partners, Managing Director Pablo Zinger, Pianist, Conductor, Composer