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Important Rally this Saturday: 95% of Neighborhood Around Tech Hub Still Unprotected

Even though the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) just calendared, or began the formal process of consideration for, landmark designations of seven buildings in the area affected by the recent Tech Hub upzoning — 817, 826, 830, 832, 836, 840, and 841 Broadway — this is far from adequate to protect this neighborhood.  Join us at a Demonstration Saturday, Sept. 29 at Noon, at 11th & B’way (in front of the former St. Denis Hotel) to demand real protections for our neighborhood, and an end to its transformation into ‘Midtown South.’  Jeremiah Moss from Vanishing New York will be there to share some words. RSVP at the Facebook event page HERE

The historic former St. Denis hotel, built in 1853, is to be demolished for a large glassy office tower. This is part of a broader trend of demolitions and completely inappropriate new development in this area south of Union Square, fueled by a lack of zoning and landmark protections, the expanding tech industry in the area, and the commercial upzoning for the Tech Hub recently approved nearby on 14th Street. HERE is a flyer you can print for the rally and share.
Developers now increasingly see this area of our neighborhood as an extension of the ‘Midtown South’ office district and of the tech industry’s “Silicon Alley.” In spite of the failure of Councilmember Rivera and the City Council to condition their support for the Tech Hub rezoning upon the provision of these protections, we are continuing to push for landmark protections that will preserve this and other buildings in the area.

Image result for gvshp rosie mendez techhub
April 2017 rally with then Council Member Rosie Mendez who stated that she would not vote for any commercial upzoning for the Mayor’s Tech Hub unless neighborhood protections were included. The Mayor then delayed the approval process hoping to get a better deal from a new Councilmember.

The proposed landmarking of seven buildings came in response to our demands for landmark and/or zoning protections for the area south of Union Square between 3rd and 5th Avenues in the wake of the City Council’s approval of the Mayor’s Tech Hub upzoning on 14th Street. GVSHP proposed and called for historic district designation for all the historic buildings in the affected area (about 193 buildings), which is experiencing enormous development pressure, especially now that the nearby Tech Hub commercial upzoning has been approved.

Besides coming to the rally on Saturday, September 29th at 12 noon you can also click HERE to send an email to the LPC.

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