Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
Q&A
Steven Chu explains LPC's process for identifying and designating landmarks
0:58:12
·
125 sec
Steven Chu, a Commissioner of the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission, responds to Council Member Hudson's question about preserving culturally significant structures. He explains the LPC's process for identifying and designating landmarks, emphasizing the role of the commission's staff and the factors considered in preservation decisions.
- Chu mentions that the LPC has a robust staff that researches potential buildings or districts for designation
- He notes that historical significance, aesthetics, and physical fabric are all important factors in the LPC's decisions
- Chu explains that each case is specific and requires detailed review, considering both historical events and the current physical state of the structure
Steven Chu
0:58:12
I'll try to answer your question.
0:58:14
If I don't, stop me
Crystal Hudson
0:58:16
And it's not really like a gotcha question.
0:58:18
I'm just curious to know, you know.
Steven Chu
0:58:21
I think I understand.
0:58:22
So the commission does have a robust and talented staff that actually is constantly full time looking at the five boroughs and doing research to figure out which potential buildings or districts would be designated which we as commissioners then review.
0:58:42
I will say that in the past two years that we've been on the commission, We've approved and green lighted every proposal that came from our staff.
0:58:52
That regards one aspect of your question in terms of process.
0:58:57
The other part of your question, I'll just say, first of all, the five boroughs of New York City, I believe, are important.
0:59:05
I also wanna say that historical significant and aesthetics and physical fabric are both important to the Landmark Commission.
0:59:16
I think that it would depend on the specific structure in question in terms of the significance of the place, maybe what event happened there, And we would need to review the details of each of these cases.
0:59:34
They all are specific and have, factors that weigh more on historical, events or maybe more on physical building fabric.
0:59:44
It is important that, because ultimately we're we're regulating physical, fabric of the city that it represents, a part of the the period of of the style of the time.
0:59:57
If the building doesn't any longer appear the way it did when the event happened, maybe landmarks wouldn't be the right avenue to protect that structure.
1:00:10
There may be other ways to protect its historical significance in the community.
1:00:16
I hope that somewhat answered.
1:00:17
Okay.