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11 Buildings in Midtown East Receive Landmark Protection

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One of the properties being marked for preservation includes The Yale Club of NYC at 50 Vanderbilt Avenue.
The Minnie E. Young residence at 19 E. 54th Street will also be preserved
The Pershing Square property at 125 Park Avenue has also been designated for preservation
The Hotel Lexington at 511 Lexington Ave is one of the 11 buildings marked for preservation by the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission

On Tuesday November 22, the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission marked 11 buildings as landmarks for preservation in Manhattan’s east midtown, as reported by Bloomberg News. The move precedes and dampens a planned rezoning, which is currently in the works, for the 78-block area by Grand Central Terminal and northward. The proposed zoning modification would permit aged buildings to be replaced with newer ones, as part of the city’s plan to improve the business district and compete with other global financial capitals, such as London and Hong Kong. 

“The designation of these buildings doesn’t necessarily mean that these buildings cannot change,” said Meenakshi Srinivasan, the Chairwoman of the Landmarks Preservation Committee. “But the commission will assure that whatever changes are approved will be sensitive to their historic character. The designation also assures that these buildings will be protected and not be demolished.”

Properties that are being marked for the preservation include SL Green Realty Corp.’s Graybar Building at 420 Lexington Avenue, and their Pershing Square property at 125 Park Avenue. The other designated building are: The Yale Club of NYC at 50 Vanderbilt Ave; Minnie E. Young residence at 19 E. 54th St.; Martin Erdmann residence at 57 E. 55th St.; Hampton Shops building at 18-20 E. 50th St.; 400 Madison Ave.; 18 E. 41st St.; The Beverly Hotel at 125 E. 50th St.; Hotel Lexington at 511 Lexington Ave; and The Shelton Hotel at 523-527 Lexington Ave.

The Real Estate Board of New York was opposed to all 11 designations. In July, the trade organization argued that the area’s “truly meritorious buildings” have already received landmark protection, “and the ones proposed had little to no architectural or historic merit.” On Monday, SL Green said that the landmark status imposed on their Pershing Square property would hinder the area’s improvements to subway access and “preclude millions of New Yorkers from enjoying a better commute.”

By:  Hadassa Kalatizadeh

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