Protecting the Past

Landmark West celebrates 25th Anniversary By [Sharon Elizabeth Samuel ] One of the foremost organizations for protecting the West Side's historic character is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Landmark West, founded in 1985, has long been a guiding light in protecting the neighborhood's architecture and in helping creating historic districts in the community. When the group was first established in the mid-1980s, only 337 buildings were delineated as culturally significant on the UWS. Now there are more than 2,700. Arlene Simon, founder and president of the organization, had a simple goal in mind when she first started it: to preserve the architectural integrity of the neighborhood and to teach people the value of living in a community with a sense of place. "When things are beautiful, people tend to feel better, and their overall attitudes are generally better," she said. There are currently nine protected historic districts between 59th Street and 110th Street and Central Park and Riverside Park. Landmark West also campaigns to landmark historically relevant buildings. By attending community board meetings and providing recommendations to the Landmarks Preservation Commission regarding potential building projects, the organization has established itself as a go-to voice in the UWS. Recently, Landmark West fought against the installation of bubble-like structures over the tennis courts in Central Park-an addition that would have raised the cost of the facility while lowering the aesthetic quality of the Park. Rather than simply quashing new projects, the group works with the LPC to refine the materials, colors, façade and overall atmosphere of potential additions to buildings. The organization believes that the regulations that protect landmarked regions are designed to bring a sense of stability to the neighborhood "Yes, people may have to go through more bureaucracy if they want to change something about their own property, but their neighbors do too," said Kate Wood, executive director of Landmark West. What frustrates Arlene and her colleagues is the seemingly short memory of the LPC regarding failed attempts at preservation, and the labor behind notable successes. She points out that Carnegie Hall, for instance, was only given historic designation through the persistence of community advocates like Landmark West. "We've done a lot in 25 years, but we need to be here for another 25 years, and another 25 years, because there needs to be someone here to counteract that sort of tunnel-vision," said Cristiana Pena, Landmark West's director of community outreach. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, the group is embracing new technology with the creation of an "Upper West Side Walking Tour" iPhone app. This goes hand-in-hand with their efforts to educate both children, in their school programs, and adults about issues of preservation, says Simon, "We teach them, rather than looking at their shoes, to look at the sky and the cornice of a building. If they were to learn what a cornice is, and the beauty of preservation, they wouldn't take it for granted," Simon said. After 25 years, she believes that her work has started to pay off. "New construction is better, and the developers understand the importance of working collaboratively," she said. One of the most important things that she has learned since the organization started is the power that people have, to shape their community. "We don't want the Upper West Side to become Disneyland, where everything is just a façade. We want there to be something tangible," says Simon. "It's probably not sexy, what we do, but it's essential." For more information about Landmark West's 25th anniversary, current projects and the iPhone app, visit www.landmarkwest.org.