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Historic Preservation in NYC - A Quick Primer on Key Sites

New York City is home to many famous historic landmarks and historic districts. But given all the factors that could wipe away historic structures in a dynamic city...how did they manage to survive to the present? Join us in looking at a few key sites in the history of NYC's preservation movement. For more, see our site: www.nypap.org.

The sites range from the first designated city landmark (the Wyckoff House) to sites that stood (and in some cases fell) at the center of all-out preservation battles (Penn Station, Grand Central Terminal, the Audubon Ballroom, St. Bart's). While this list is in no way a comprehensive sense of the galaxy of historic preservation-related sites in the city, it's a teaser - if you find a site or story that intrigues you, head down the rabbit hole to our site for a deeper dive: www.nypap.org. Thanks for taking a look!

By

Municipal Art Society of New York

Wyckoff House

The Wyckoff House, with its oldest portion dating to the 1650s, was the first designated individual city landmark in NYC, designated in 1965 - the year the city enacted its own Landmarks Law under authority provided by the state-level Bard Act of 1956.

Jefferson Market Library (formerly Courthouse)

The intrepid Margot Gayle and her merry band of Village preservationists saved this fantastic Victorian pile, a former courthouse that was destined for demolition: Full story here.

St. John's Chapel

St. John's marks a bit of a turning point: city government under George McAneny attempts a compromise that both allows a street widening but also saves the chapel and its portico. While the compromise failed, it marked a new consciousness during World War I of the value of historic structures: More here.

Pennsylvania Station (1910)

A great act of vandalism. Here is the full story on the loss of this great edifice - and its role in the preservation movement.

The Bowne House

The Bowne House, rich with colonial history and broader national significance, is emblematic of the many historic houses that have somehow survived to the present through the efforts of grassroots organizations.

Building C, Sailors' Snug Harbor

How did this grand collection of architecture from the 1830s on Staten Island manage to survive to the present despite huge threats along the way? Find out here.

Schermerhorn Row

Peter and Norma Stanford founded the South Street Seaport Museum in 1967 - and saved this row from 1812, a core part of the story of New York City's waterfront: More on Peter Stanford's efforts.

Biltmore Hotel

Part of the Terminal City complex that grew up around Grand Centeral Terminal in the 1910s, the Biltmore was a famous place to meet "under the clock" - but was stripped down to its girder bones despite preservationists efforts in the 1980s: Sad but instructive tale here.

Grand Central Terminal

A legendary preservation battle that went to the U.S. Supreme Court and saw Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis take up the cause: Dig in here.

Edgar Allan Poe Cottage

How did Edgar Allan Poe's cottage in the Bronx survive when his home in Greenwich Village did not? Quoth the raven: find out here.

Audubon Theatre and Ballroom

A messy battle unfolded in the 1990s to save this Harlem site. Did the effort to save this culturally significant site succeed? That is still debated!

St. Bartholomew's Church (1917)

The successful battle to save St. Bart's on Park Avenue proved to be a seminal fight that would entwine many future preservation leaders. Learn more from their stories here.