It’s hard to believe that August is already upon us, and fall is right around the corner. We at MAS have had a busy summer preparing for a provocative, informative fall season, as we introduce our first annual Next for New York programs.
Next for New York will explore the next wave in urban planning, preservation and climate change, and civic activism, as well as specific projects that will help shape the future of New York City.
This year, Next for New York includes three major events: Preservation & Climate Change Conference, the MAS Summit for New York City and the Jane Jacobs Forum. These programs will engage New Yorkers in stimulating discussions about urban livability and the future of our city and cities around the world.
“There’s no question that cities are pivotal as nations everywhere are dealing with growing populations, climate change and threats to sustainability,” said MAS President Vin Cipolla. “Through this very exciting annual series, MAS will examine a host of issues that New York is facing as a global city that also is a city of distinct neighborhoods.” Continue Reading>>
We thought you might enjoy this bit of history from the MAS Archives, and we plan to share more with you over the next few weeks.
We found this letter from Robert Moses, addressed to MAS President Electus D. Litchfield, dated December 24, 1936, while sifting through the archives. Moses was appointed as the Commissioner of the Department of Parks in 1936 by then-Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia. Moses also served as head of the State Parks Council, head of the State Power Commission, and chairman of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority. Electus D. Litchfield was the president of MAS in the 1930s. The following is Moses’ somewhat testy response to a letter from Litchfield regarding the construction of East River Drive (known today as FDR Drive), which started in 1934 and was completed in 1966:
(Click-through for larger images.)
December 24, 1936
Miss Irene V. Walsh,
The Municipal Art Society,
119 East 19th Street,
New York City
Dear Miss Walsh:
Mr. Litchfield’s letter of November 11th was answered by sending him printed reports which clearly indicated the answers to his questions.
I am happy, however, to answer them again in this letter. Continue Reading>>
As New York prepares to commemorate the ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center, MAS is arranging for its annual presentation of Tribute In Light. A world-renowned symbol of commemoration and healing, Tribute In Light’s majestic beams of light will illuminate the lower Manhattan sky beginning at dusk on Saturday, September 11, and fading with the dawn of Sunday, September 12.
Funded by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, with the generous support of Con Edison, the project was co-founded by MAS and Creative Time. Tribute In Light was first presented on April 11, 2002, six months after the attacks. Continue Reading>>
Seating is limited for the MAS Summit for New York City which will feature lively debates, discussions and new ideas about the livability of our city, from sidewalks to skyline. The conference, a first for MAS, will be held on Thursday, October 21 and Friday, October 22 at the Penn Plaza Pavilion.
You can register now on the recently-launched Summit website, massummit.org, where you can get up-to-the-minute program updates. As of today, 88 of 400 tickets have been sold for the conference, with a roster that includes Rockefeller Foundation President Judith Rodin, Designer Yeohlee Teng, New York Times Reporter Sam Roberts, Central Park Conservancy Founder Elizabeth Barlow Rogers, and High Line Founder Robert Hammond, plus dozens of other thought leaders talking on a variety of important subjects. Continue Reading>>
Currently there is a debate about whether the proposed 15 Penn Plaza development should go forward as planned. Vornado Realty Trust wants to build a skyscraper at 15 Penn Plaza (where the Hotel Pennsylvania now stands), which would rival the Empire State Building in prominence in the city’s skyline. Vornado’s skyscraper, which was approved by the City Planning Commission in June, would be only 34 feet shorter than the Empire State Building. Because of the two buildings’ close proximity, 900 feet apart, 15 Penn Plaza would partially obstruct views of the Empire State Building. Some fear Vornado’s building will crowd “the distinctive skyline in the city,” as Malkin Properties President Anthony Malkin, who owns the Empire State Building, said in yesterday’s New York Observer. To read the full article, click here.
Although MAS does not oppose the project, we submitted testimony on 15 Penn Plaza in June to the City Planning Commission, raising concern for the need for a comprehensive transportation plan in the area, considering the influx of people that the proposed development would bring to the already congested Penn Station neighborhood.
“Now that the project is before the City Council, MAS thinks that it is an appropriate time to discuss the impact 15 Penn Plaza will have on the Empire State Building and on our skyline,” said MAS President Vin Cipolla. “The viewsheds and view corridors of certain iconic buildings should be considered in these cases,” he continued.
MAS President Vin Cipolla opened the day by posing a series of questions that the three panels and keynote interview addressed, “How does New York City build? How do the city’s neighbors shape their communities? What, exactly, is distinct about the way New York City plans its neighborhoods and development?…What changes do we want to see? What are the consequences of those changes? What mechanisms are already in place to address shortcomings in the land use process, and are they working?” He continued, “As you can probably tell, today’s program is likely to provide more questions than answers, and that’s ok. MAS, and others, are going to continue to work on these issues until we are that much closer to solving them.”
The conference’s triad of panels brought together some of New York City’s, and the country’s, leading voices on land use issues, and provoked interesting discussions among the panelists and the audience. Continue Reading>>
Take a stroll down Convent Avenue in the Hamilton Heights neighborhood of Harlem and you’ll pass the buildings that Duke Ellington, Jimmy Rushing and Cab Calloway once called home. Nominated to the Census of Places that Matter for its many layers of New York City history, this broad residential street has been home to some very notable New Yorkers. Extending from 127th Street, through City College and up to 152nd Street, Convent Avenue is one of the city’s most cherished exclusively-residential streets. Shaded with trees and lined with rows of small-scale residential buildings it remains a kind of time capsule, largely unchanged since the early days of jazz.
Once a rural countryside, Alexander Hamilton – the first United States Secretary of the Treasury – acquired a 32-acre tract of land in the summer of 1800 for the site of his country estate, which he named Hamilton Grange. Convent Avenue itself was officially laid down in the mid-19th century after the erection of the Convent of the Sacred Heart, which stood just south of 136th Street. Continue Reading>>
Take engaging speakers, fine weather, a great harbor, the cinematographer’s “magic hour” and you get one terrific boat tour. For the 19th Annual MAS Summer Boat Tour on July 28, we found ourselves on a brand new boat with an air conditioned interior, expansive outside decks and an excellent sound system. We managed to avoid a regatta and make our way among the Harbor Islands, down past Robbins Reef, over to the Brooklyn waterfront and north to linger in Gowanus Bay. We headed up through the Buttermilk Channel intending to get a close view of Brooklyn Bridge Park, but President Obama’s helicopter departure gave us a lesson in harbor security and sent us back to the Hudson River as the sun set. The evening was a fine mix of fascinating sights, informed commentary and sufficient silence.
Our special thanks to speakers Maria Burks, commissioner of the National Parks of New York Harbor, Leslie Koch, president of the Trust for Governors Island and Eric Goldstein, director, National Resource Defense Council’s New York City Environment.
See you next year for the 20th anniversary boat tour. A lot has changed in the upper bay since our first tour in 1991, in part because of the advocacy of MAS and our supporters.
Two weeks ago, Time Out New York (July 22-28) featured the MAS Why Not a Landmark? Preservation and Planning Walks. The “Own This City” column offered a rundown of the tours, and then ventured to Bushwick, Sunset Park, and Boerum Hill to see what locals would also include on the walks.
Saturday, August 28, 10:30 a.m. Boerum Hill: Inside & Outside the District
Meet in front of the former Williamsburg Savings Bank, at corner of Ashland and Hanson Pl. MAP
Simon Boerum’s 18th century farm was developed between the 1840s and 1870s with some of New York City’s finest townhouses. Several blocks of remarkably homogeneous, primarily brick townhouses were designated as a New York City Landmark District in 1973. This walk will be mostly outside the landmarked district, viewing streets lined with rows of fine 19th century residential and commercial buildings. We will also view recent infill buildings and speak with people from the community about their preservation efforts. Leader: Joe Svehlak, urban historian and preservationist.
$15, $10 MAS members. Pay at tour.
The 19th Annual MAS Summer Boat Tour Toward a Sustainable Upper Bay
Wednesday, July 28, 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Come along as the sun goes down for a boat tour of the Harbor Islands, the Buttermilk Channel and Gowanus Bay—the scenic and the hidden parts of New York’s Upper Bay. We’ll hear about successes and challenges on the way to a sustainable future—from imaginative and dedicated individuals who are helping to lead the way.
Our Host: Vin Cipolla, president, Municipal Art Society. Devoted to preservation, conservation and the arts, Mr. Cipolla has consistently provided civic leadership in these areas throughout his adult life. He was appointed president of the MAS in early 2009. Continue Reading>>
As New York prepares to commemorate the ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center, MAS is arranging for its annual presentation of 
Two weeks ago, Time Out New York (July 22-28) featured the MAS 