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Q&A
Angie Master discusses hardship cases and demolition by neglect
0:47:16
·
3 min
Angie Master, a commissioner for the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, responds to Council Member Brewer's questions about hardship cases, demolition by neglect, and the LPC's role in permitting restoration.
- Master mentions a recent hardship application that was withdrawn after extensive review
- She emphasizes the use of enhanced engineering reviews in cases of potential demolition by neglect
- Master highlights the importance of public testimony in the decision-making process
Angie Master
0:47:16
Yes.
0:47:20
Councilmember Brewer, in terms of your first question, I think you're asking about hardship cases.
0:47:28
In the two years that I've been on, I think we've only had one hardship application before us.
0:47:36
And I think we actually spent a lot of time.
0:47:41
There was a lot of material, and there was a lot of testimony in terms of the process.
0:47:49
I believe over 80 people signed up to testify, and we had a lot of public testimony.
0:48:00
And ultimately, that application was withdrawn.
0:48:07
Is that I think is that what you're
Gale A. Brewer
0:48:10
Yeah.
0:48:10
If it comes back, how would you analyze it?
Angie Master
0:48:13
Yeah.
0:48:14
That's a really good question.
0:48:17
But given that it is an open application, I don't feel that I can comment on that because I believe that it it may come back.
Gale A. Brewer
0:48:27
Okay.
0:48:27
And then in terms of demolition by neglect, how would you deal with that?
Angie Master
0:48:32
So demolition by neglect, I think I can recall that we do have some applications that we had, in particular, I think Greenwich Village, where there was concern by the community.
0:48:48
I think that what we typically do in these situations is that we ask for an enhanced review by our engineer.
0:48:57
I think the DOB and LPC, we have a structural engineer that goes in and I guess essentially triple checks to make sure that there's structural integrity when there's construction.
Gale A. Brewer
0:49:10
Okay.
0:49:10
And again, you have two different you have the owner and then you have perhaps somebody else testifying from the community, they have two different definitions of what is actually neglect.
0:49:21
Sometimes, you know, there might be reasons to have it, you know, neglect.
0:49:26
Who who would you look to?
Angie Master
0:49:29
I I think that, you know, we have public testimony for a reason, because we want to hear all sides.
0:49:39
And I think on a case by case basis, we would have to very carefully consider it.
0:49:43
But I do want to reassure you that, you know, we we are volunteers here, and we are here because we do want to protect and preserve these these buildings, and we care very deeply about that.
Gale A. Brewer
0:49:55
Okay.
0:49:56
And then finally, DOB and LPC to permit necessary reservation without the owner signing off.
0:50:02
Well, how do you feel about that?
Angie Master
0:50:07
You know, I feel like that's really not within my purview because it's more of a DOB process than what we do, you know, where we consider cases that really come before us.
Gale A. Brewer
0:50:19
Okay, thank you.
0:50:20
Next.