In March 2007, Borough President Stringer first convened New York City’s leading preservationists to share their ideas on the most important policy initiatives necessary to safeguard Manhattan’s historic and architectural resources. The group worked with the Borough President to shape a five-point agenda for historic preservation in the borough of Manhattan.

The Borough Preservation Agenda is as follows:

• Increase annual City funding for the Landmarks Preservation Commission by $1 million, so that the Commission can enhance its work enforcing the City’s Landmarks Law and designating new districts and properties.
• Explore reforms to the 74-711 Special Permit Process to ensure that the use of the special permit continues to meet its original intent: to encourage the adaptive reuse of older landmark buildings and alleviate the burden of owning underdeveloped landmark sites in high-density districts.
• Explore reforms to the makeup and public processes of the Landmarks Preservation Commission to improve transparency and accountability to applicants and community stakeholders.
• Improve the level of knowledge and education about the City’s Landmarks Law and the preservation process throughout the borough, especially among community leaders.
• Develop new strategies to protect historic religious and institutional buildings.

Members of the Borough President’s Preservation Task Force are now working closely with the Borough President to achieve these important goals.  For more information about the Borough Preservation Agenda, or to find out how you can help support this effort, call the Borough President’s preservation planner, Anthony Borelli at 212-669-8130 or email aborelli@manhattanbp.org

Stay tuned to this page for news about progress achieving the agenda!