In the wake of the tainted Community Board 8 vote on whether to support the 93rd Street Beautification Association's Request to extend the historic district so as to include the priceless collection of historic structures just east of the current district boundary line, Harpo Marx's son Bill has written a letter to Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer asking him to intervene on behalf of the campaign to preserve & designate historic Marx Brothers Place in Carnegie Hill.
Please join Bill in this effort today by simply clicking on this link & sending the message to the Borough President: http://the-marx-brothers-place-report.blogspot.com/2010/08/vacate-cb8-vote-on-marx-brothers-place.html. Thanks!
We also thought you might like to read the letter that Bill Marx sent to Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer. So, here it is:
Dear Mr. Scott Stringer,
My name is Bill Marx, and Harpo Marx is my father. I live in Rancho Mirage, California, not far from the home he built in 1956 that has recently been deemed a Historic Site by the City Council. I did not have anything to do with the recommendation of such an act, but I did support the concept of it having a necessary historical purpose for the total Palm Springs area. So, as well, I have no real personal burning, self-serving reason or concerns for the preservation of Marx Brothers Place other than it would be, of course, a well deserved tribute to them and is such an important slice of America's and in particular Manhattan's history that I truly believe should live on in the minds and hearts of all people who cherish America's Theater history; the film industry's history and Broadway Theater history and those who contribute to its ongoing success. I went to Juilliard School of music when it was across from Columbia University, so I have always had a special place in my heart for what I consider to be the greatest city on earth. For the many fans and tourists that visit the historical places of Bach or Stravinsky or Albert Einstein or any person who has brought positive influence to so many, the preservation of the area where the Marx Brothers were all born and grew up would be also similiar in its magnetic purpose to the public interest. No matter what the outcome, the Marx Brothers will always remain popular, so it's more about seeing to it that fascinating bits and pieces of New York are preserved historically, thus making it the unique city that continues to be the hub of culture the world over.
On behalf of Harpo's family, thank you for your time in addressing this issue, and we hope that you will help to see that Marx Brothers Place can remain as one of the many beacons that continue to light up all of Manhattan for all mankind.
Respectfully, Bill Marx
Showing posts with label NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
NYC Council Member Dan Garodnick takes Aim at Marx Brothers Place Constituents & Defeats Plan to Landmark MBP
It seems NYC Council Member Dan Garodnick must be working for somebody other than his constituents these days.
Following Monday's impressive 7-0 vote (with one abstention) by which Community Board 8's (CB8) Landmarks Committee decided to support the 93rd Street Beautification Association's Request (RFE) - asking the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission to extend the Carnegie Hill Historic District one block east so as to include the historically significant structures on Marx Brothers Place - Garodnick took it upon himself on Wednesday to contact Jane Parshall, Co-Chair, CB8 Landmarks Committee, saying that he had been sitting on a letter from the LPC - since May - in which the Commission had already rejected the Marx Brothers Place RFE.
Neither Parshall nor Garodnick bothered contacting the members of CB8's Landmarks Committee before the meeting or the members of the 93rd Street Beautification Association about this letter or about their intention to brandish the Garodnick letter prior to the full board vote - on Marx Brothers Place - at Wednesday's CB8 Meeting.
Garodnick - who did not attend the CB8 Meeting in person, but instead sent a representative - provided Parshall with 3 copies of the letter - a letter he had been sitting on for nearly two months - just in the nick of time for Wednesday's CB8 Full Board Meeting. Garodnick did not provide the 93rd Street Beautification Association with a copy of the letter, nor did he provide the Association with a heads up as to his intentions to drop the letter on the Full Board just before the vote on Marx Brothers Place.
Parshall - the one and only abstention from Monday's 7-0 vote - grabbed the Garodnick letter and ran with it. Visibly excited at the prospect of throwing a wrench into the vote, Parshall began her presentation by having her Co-Chair David Liston read the Garodnick letter to the Full CB8 Board from the podium on stage. Parshall chose to lead with this, blunting any opportunity for Landmarks Committee members to first tell their fellow Board Members the reasons they had voted to support the RFE and why the full Board should too.
As one might suspect, the dramatic reveal and recitation of the Garodnick letter had a very powerful impact on members of the Full Board who have never read the 93rd Street Beautification Association's RFE and who are unfamiliar with the unique and significant history of the block. So, once Liston finished reading the Garodnick letter from the podium, it was, of course, all about the letter. Marx Brothers Place had suddenly become an unspoken memory.
And so, without even the courtesy of a heads up to his own constituents, NYC Council Member Dan Garodnick successfully defeated Marx Brothers Place in one fell swoop - and sold out his constituents in the process.
The 93rd Street Beautification Association would like to thank CB8 Board Member Teri Slater who had the temerity to read Parshall the Riot Act for her blaring breach of protocol. Slater went on record saying that Parshall should never have presented the Garodnick letter - which could only serve to prejudice the CB8 Full Board vote on Marx Brothers Place. Adding that the letter from the LPC to Garodnick was premature - as it denies CB8 the opportunity to weigh in on an RFE in its own district - Slater said the letter should have been ignored.
While many members of the CB8 Landmarks Committee agreed with Slater, the full CB8 Board had already bought the Garodnick letter that Parshall was more than happy to sell to them.
On Monday, Parshall chose to abstain from voting on the Marx Brothers Place RFE saying that she has a conflict of interest: A wiser woman would have steered clear of the matter on Wednesday as well.
It is curious: Why would CM Garodnick have waited until after there was a successful Landmarks Committe vote (7-0 is nothing to sneeze at) before he finally shared a letter - that he sat on since May - and which he now claims he suddenly felt compelled to reveal?
There's a reason your mother told you to never trust a politician.
Following Monday's impressive 7-0 vote (with one abstention) by which Community Board 8's (CB8) Landmarks Committee decided to support the 93rd Street Beautification Association's Request (RFE) - asking the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission to extend the Carnegie Hill Historic District one block east so as to include the historically significant structures on Marx Brothers Place - Garodnick took it upon himself on Wednesday to contact Jane Parshall, Co-Chair, CB8 Landmarks Committee, saying that he had been sitting on a letter from the LPC - since May - in which the Commission had already rejected the Marx Brothers Place RFE.
Neither Parshall nor Garodnick bothered contacting the members of CB8's Landmarks Committee before the meeting or the members of the 93rd Street Beautification Association about this letter or about their intention to brandish the Garodnick letter prior to the full board vote - on Marx Brothers Place - at Wednesday's CB8 Meeting.
Garodnick - who did not attend the CB8 Meeting in person, but instead sent a representative - provided Parshall with 3 copies of the letter - a letter he had been sitting on for nearly two months - just in the nick of time for Wednesday's CB8 Full Board Meeting. Garodnick did not provide the 93rd Street Beautification Association with a copy of the letter, nor did he provide the Association with a heads up as to his intentions to drop the letter on the Full Board just before the vote on Marx Brothers Place.
Parshall - the one and only abstention from Monday's 7-0 vote - grabbed the Garodnick letter and ran with it. Visibly excited at the prospect of throwing a wrench into the vote, Parshall began her presentation by having her Co-Chair David Liston read the Garodnick letter to the Full CB8 Board from the podium on stage. Parshall chose to lead with this, blunting any opportunity for Landmarks Committee members to first tell their fellow Board Members the reasons they had voted to support the RFE and why the full Board should too.
As one might suspect, the dramatic reveal and recitation of the Garodnick letter had a very powerful impact on members of the Full Board who have never read the 93rd Street Beautification Association's RFE and who are unfamiliar with the unique and significant history of the block. So, once Liston finished reading the Garodnick letter from the podium, it was, of course, all about the letter. Marx Brothers Place had suddenly become an unspoken memory.
And so, without even the courtesy of a heads up to his own constituents, NYC Council Member Dan Garodnick successfully defeated Marx Brothers Place in one fell swoop - and sold out his constituents in the process.
The 93rd Street Beautification Association would like to thank CB8 Board Member Teri Slater who had the temerity to read Parshall the Riot Act for her blaring breach of protocol. Slater went on record saying that Parshall should never have presented the Garodnick letter - which could only serve to prejudice the CB8 Full Board vote on Marx Brothers Place. Adding that the letter from the LPC to Garodnick was premature - as it denies CB8 the opportunity to weigh in on an RFE in its own district - Slater said the letter should have been ignored.
While many members of the CB8 Landmarks Committee agreed with Slater, the full CB8 Board had already bought the Garodnick letter that Parshall was more than happy to sell to them.
On Monday, Parshall chose to abstain from voting on the Marx Brothers Place RFE saying that she has a conflict of interest: A wiser woman would have steered clear of the matter on Wednesday as well.
It is curious: Why would CM Garodnick have waited until after there was a successful Landmarks Committe vote (7-0 is nothing to sneeze at) before he finally shared a letter - that he sat on since May - and which he now claims he suddenly felt compelled to reveal?
There's a reason your mother told you to never trust a politician.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Lappin's New Landmarking Legislation
NYC Council Member Jessica Lappin recently introduced new legislation intended to make the Request For Evaluation (RFE) at the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission a more efficient and transparent process. Below is a copy of CM Lappin's proposed Landmarks bill.
As Chair of the NYC Council subcommittee on Landmarks, Lappin has the unique opportunity to explore improvements within the city's landmarking process in very practical terms.
If you have any questions or comments about the Lappin bill, please contact Council Member Jessica Lappin at: lappin@council.nyc.ny.us.
Now here's the text of the Lappin bill:
By Council Member Lappin
...Title
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to timely consideration of Requests for Evaluation (RFEs) by the Landmarks Preservation Commission
...Body
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Section 25-303 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new subdivision l to read as follows:
1. Every Request for Evaluation (RFE) proposing a property for landmark designation shall be submitted to the commission’s RFE committee within 120 days of receipt thereof, and all RFE committee recommendations, whether positive or negative, shall be reported promptly on the record to the full commission.
§2. This local law shall take effect immediately.
CBH
LS #7496
06/14/09
To learn more about CM Lappin's landmarks bill, please contact NYC Council Member Jessica Lappin at: lappin@council.nyc.ny.us.
As Chair of the NYC Council subcommittee on Landmarks, Lappin has the unique opportunity to explore improvements within the city's landmarking process in very practical terms.
If you have any questions or comments about the Lappin bill, please contact Council Member Jessica Lappin at: lappin@council.nyc.ny.us.
Now here's the text of the Lappin bill:
Int. No. 1020
By Council Member Lappin
...Title
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to timely consideration of Requests for Evaluation (RFEs) by the Landmarks Preservation Commission
...Body
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Section 25-303 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new subdivision l to read as follows:
1. Every Request for Evaluation (RFE) proposing a property for landmark designation shall be submitted to the commission’s RFE committee within 120 days of receipt thereof, and all RFE committee recommendations, whether positive or negative, shall be reported promptly on the record to the full commission.
§2. This local law shall take effect immediately.
CBH
LS #7496
06/14/09
To learn more about CM Lappin's landmarks bill, please contact NYC Council Member Jessica Lappin at: lappin@council.nyc.ny.us.
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