The Historic Districts Council will bestow its annual grassroots Preservation Awards at a May 10 ceremony at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery to seven individuals and organizations, including the East Village Community Coalition and Assemblymember Deborah Glick.
The East Village Community Coalition was created to save the old turn-of-the-century P.S. 64 building on E. Ninth St., most recently home of the CHARAS/El Bohio community center. Through the leadership of E.V.C.C. and elected officials, more than 5,000 postcards and 2,000 letters were sent to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, which moved to designate the building a landmark in June 2006. Despite landlord Gregg Singer stripping the building of its decorative facade elements after the designation by using a three-year-old Department of Buildings permit, the City Council upheld the designation. E.V.C.C. continues to fight for P.S. 64’s preservation and other initiatives, including a rezoning of the East Village and Lower East Side.
Glick, who represents the Village in the State Assembly, will receive the H.D.C. Friends in High Places Award for her efforts to foster historic preservation in the West Village, Soho and parts of Tribeca and the East Village. She has advocated for preservation projects, including the extension of the Greenwich Village Historic District and designation of the Gansevoort Market and Weehawken St. historic districts, as well as joining community efforts to stem overdevelopment and protect neighborhood character.
