From the Columbia Spectator
O'Donnell Files FOIL Request
By Maggie Astor
PUBLISHED APRIL 22, 2008
State Assemblyman Danny O’Donnell (D-Morningside Heights and West Harlem) filed a Freedom of Information Law request last week for documents related to the possible establishment of parts of Morningside Heights as a historic district, or landmarking of particular buildings in the area. The request followed several months of attempts to obtain the documents directly from Robert Tierney, chair of the Landmarks Preservation Commission.
According to an April 15 press release, a variety of politicians and organizations—including Congressman Charlie Rangel, New York City Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, the New York Landmarks Conservancy, and West Siders for Responsible Development—have expressed support for the establishment of a historical district, and written letters to the LPC to urge Tierney to schedule a hearing on the issue.
“There is overwhelming public support for a historic district in Morningside Heights,” O’Donnell said in the press release. “I remain perplexed why some proposals for designation are fast-tracked, while other equally deserving proposals remain stalled for more than a decade.”
Community Board 9 also endorsed a historic district in its 197-a plan for Columbia’s Manhattanville expansion, which the New York City Council approved in December.
“Efforts to help implement any recommendations in the 197-a plan are obviously very welcome and well-received,” said CB9 Chair Pat Jones.
Asked about the responsiveness of the LPC to requests regarding the potential historic district, Jones said, “I have no personal knowledge of that, but it has been long stated that the LPC does move quite slowly, and so we’re supportive of any information that the assemblyman can get to move forward this initiative.”
CB9 also passed a resolution in October urging the Landmarks Preservation Commission to consider all applications after hearing concerns that the commission was ignoring some landmarking requests.
