East Village Preservation Efforts to Culminate

by Naomi Cohen After heated debate since last summer, the Landmarks Preservation Commission will vote on Tuesday on approving what will be the first large-scale historic district in the East Village/Lower East Side. The title would enact regulations to preserve old buildings, including several religious institutions, and would slow down large-scale development. The district, one of New York's oldest, was home to waves of immigrants and, more recently, a bohemian community. Rezoning measures in 2008 and 2010 aimed to enhance the residential feel, a major concern for supporters of the proposal. If approved, the East Village/Lower East Side will follow St. Mark's Place and the East 10th Street in the ranks of historic districts in the area. The area straddles East 6th and East 2nd Streets, Avenue A and 2nd Avenue.