Midtown Plaza - Midtown Plaza - What is The Landmark Society's Involvement? and Q & A

The Landmark Society is engaged in productive discussions with key planners and decision makers regarding the Midtown project and others currently on the table, and we have brought attention to the tremendous opportunities to incorporate existing, historically significant elements of Midtown Plaza into new design plans. As this multifaceted project moves ahead, we look forward to continuing to work alongside the designers and developers, lending our knowledge of Midtown’s history as we all seek the best possible outcome for this complex site.

We encourage an open dialog about the merits of the existing structure, while we simultaneously position ourselves to look to the future. It is important that new construction be of a physical and aesthetic quality that contributes positively to the architecture of our region’s core. We specifically recognize that there are some outstanding elements of the Midtown Plaza complex that could meritoriously be incorporated into new construction plans. It is equally important that any demolition – particularly taxpayer-funded demolition – be undertaken very thoughtfully, with a clear understanding of what is being lost and why, and that demolition not occur until there is a firm plan for redevelopment that lives up to the high standards we must expect.

· When state funding is used for the demolition of Midtown or similar resources, historic preservation review is required as part of the state environmental review process . This review is mandated by state law, and is conducted by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (NYSOPRHP). The purpose of this process is to ensure that when taxpayer money is used for demolition, it is done with great care to avoid unnecessary harm to historic resources.

· The City is appropriately following the process of historic preservation review, and in accordance with the first step in this process, their project team has requested NYSOPRHP to make a determination as to whether any resources on the Midtown site are eligible for listing in the National Register. We commend the City for having initiated the process promptly, as avoiding it would only lead to delays down the road.

· If any parts of the Midtown site are eligible for listing in the National Register, the state determines whether the project will cause negative impacts on those resources.

· If a negative impact is found, then the state and city will work together to examine alternatives that would avoid such impact, or to mitigate impacts that cannot be avoided.

· A detailed explanation of the process, commonly referred to as “14.09,” is at http://www.nysparks.state.ny.us/shpo/environ/regulations.htm

Q&A:

Is the Landmark Society attempting to block the Paetec project?

No. The Paetec announcement is extremely encouraging and exciting for downtown. It is not our goal to delay or prevent this project from proceeding.

Is the Landmark Society trying to get Midtown listed on the National Register?

No. We have not nominated Midtown for the National Register and are not working on such a nomination. It is up to NYSOPRHP to determine whether any resources on the property are eligible, but since listed and eligible resources are treated the same under state law, there is no reason to nominate the building as part of this process.

So what is the Landmark Society’s role?

The Landmark Society has no legal role in this review process. We did not initiate state review, and we do not make the determination of eligibility.

Our role, instead, is as a facilitator. We have been gathering objective information about the history and significance of Midtown, in order to help both sides complete the required review swiftly, successfully, and thoughtfully. We are not advocating any particular outcome, although we have been pointing out opportunities that may exist to incorporate historic elements into the redesign of the site.

Why would Midtown be considered historic? It’s not even 50 years old.

Midtown Plaza is a great example of a resource from the “recent past.” Preservationists increasingly recognize that buildings and landscapes are at their most vulnerable when they are old enough to be out-of-fashion but not yet old enough to be regarded as quaint. Resources of about 30-70 years old are commonly particularly underappreciated; this was the case in the early- to mid-20^th century, when ornate Victorian-era buildings were derided as being ostentatious, tasteless, and ugly, and many such buildings were demolished or irrevocably altered.

Midtown, which opened in 1962, was the first indoor urban mall, and was highly influential on other downtown revitalization projects around the country. It was the most fully implemented downtown plan by Victor Gruen, an influential architect and planner who designed such plans for dozens of cities as well as important early commercial buildings and shopping malls, and the plaza space is now the only intact example of an interior by Gruen.

Under state and federal guidelines, properties can qualify for National Register designation or eligibility if they possess “exceptional significance” at the local, state, or national level. It is up to OPRHP to determine whether Midtown does merit such status, but our research suggests that elements of exceptional significance may exist.