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Landmarks staff calender five Midtown South buildings for landmark review as rezoning nears; owner objects to one
Summary
The Landmarks Preservation Commission presented five Midtown South buildings for possible individual landmark status and held public testimony May 20. Preservation groups backed the listings; owners raised concerns about process and future reuse for the Fashion Tower. The commission closed hearings but left the record open for affected parties.
The Landmarks Preservation Commission on May 20 presented five Midtown South properties for potential individual landmark designation as part of an LPC survey tied to the city's Midtown South rezoning work. The five properties heard for designation were the Barbie Building (LP-2687), Fashion Tower (LP-2688), Furcraft Building (LP-2690), 20 Ninth Street Towers (LP-2689), and the Levcourt/Left Court Clothing Center (LP-2691). No votes on designations were held at the meeting; staff said the items will be brought back for vote at a later date.
Margaret Hermann, LPC director of research, outlined the Midtown South initiative and said LPC has surveyed some 90 buildings in the rezoning area to identify underrepresented periods of development, especially the 1910–1930 era when the garment and fur industries concentrated in the neighborhood. LPC staff and several preservation groups said the five calendarings fill a gap in designations that do not yet reflect the garment center's history.
Preservation groups including the New York Landmarks Conservancy, the Historic Districts Council and the Art Deco Society testified in support. Andrea Goldwyn of the New York Landmarks Conservancy said the five buildings "speak to the important role" the garment industry played in the city's history. Lucy Levine of the Historic Districts Council urged LPC to continue designations beyond the five calendered properties and noted HDC had submitted a broader list of priority buildings.
Owners and developers also gave testimony. Richard Lobel, counsel for the owner of the Fashion Tower at 135 West 30th (presented as LP-2688), urged the commission to adjourn the hearing and keep the record open for 60 days, arguing the owner received draft materials only days before the hearing and that landmarking could block residential conversions tied to the rezoning. LPC staff said the research process has been under way for about 18 months and that outreach to owners occurred prior to the formal hearing notice; the commission kept the record open until June 10 to allow additional written comment on the Fashion Tower.
Public commenters including members of Save Chelsea, the Historic Districts Council, and the Art Deco Society expressed support, stressing architectural merit and the buildings' ties to manufacturing, showrooms and related labor history. Several presenters called for a larger set of Midtown South designations ahead of rezoning, noting the draft environmental impact statement lists additional potentially eligible buildings.
Staff presentations included architectural histories and period details: the Barbie Building (1517 W. 30th St., Delano & Aldrich, c.1908–09); Fashion Tower (Emery Roth, 1924–25), with terracotta peacock reliefs and garment-industry motifs; the Furcraft Building and the 20 Ninth Street Towers (Henry I. Ozer, 1920s) with terracotta ornament tied to the fur trade; and the Levcourt Clothing Center (Eli Jacques Kahn, opened January 1929), noted for its brickwork, decorative metal window frames and association with the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union.
The commission closed the hearings for the items heard May 20 but left the written record open in several instances (notably the Fashion Tower) for additional comment; staff said votes would be scheduled in the near future.
