The South Street Seaport got one step closer to getting a shiny new facelift when plans for a Pier 17 redesign were praised by members of the Landmarks Preservation Commission at a hearing yesterday. SHoP Architects' design for the new pier, which was well received by Community Board 1 last month, replaces the currently quite drab South Street Seaport Mall with a modern glass building topped by a rooftop lawn and a 600-700 seat concert hall, which would double as an open-air bandshell in the summer. more ›

The Landmarks Preservation Commission voted unanimously yesterday to approve the expansion of the Greenwich Village Historic District by 11 blocks. It was the district's biggest expansion in 41 years, and makes Greenwich Village the city's oldest and largest historic district. The expanded area is bounded roughly on the east and west by Sixth and Seventh avenues, and by West Fourth and Bedford streets on the north and south. more ›

The Landmarks Preservation Commission just awarded the former William Ulmer Brewery in Brooklyn landmark designation. The old brewery is at Belvidere and Beaver streets in Bushwick, and according to the Post is the first NYC brewery to get the LPC stamp of approval. A board member told the paper, "If it's the first brewery in the city of New York to become a landmark, it's appropriate that it's in Brooklyn," as the borough used to be the brewing capital of the Northeast. more ›

The Times concludes its epic, four-part think piece on the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission today. Yesterday, Robin Pogrebin's series looked into why many churches eschew landmark status (cheaper to demolish), Friday was about how sneaky developers send in the demolition crews mere days before the LPC holds their hearing, and last Wednesday's piece noted the fun fact that LPC chairman Robert Tierney has no background in architecture, planning or historic preservation. Today's coda considers the "delicate dance" between preservationists and developers. DUMBO developer Jed Walentas derides landmarking as "one of the best tools that anti-development people have." But his feisty dance partner, Andrew S. Dolkart at Columbia University, argues, "A relatively tiny proportion of New York land is landmarked. It’s hardly an obstacle to economic growth in the city." more ›