The Historic Districts Council (HDC) is a

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

-based

501(c)3 A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of the 29 types of 5 ...

nonprofit organization that serves as the advocate for New York City's historic buildings, neighborhoods, and public spaces. HDC'
YouTube channel
provides a large catalog of free walking tour videos, Preservation School classes, conference panels, and other educational programming.

History

HDC was founded in 1970 as a committee of the

Municipal Art Society The Municipal Art Society of New York (MAS) is a non-profit membership organization for preservation in New York City, which aims to encourage thoughtful planning and urban design and inclusive neighborhoods across the city. The organization was ...

consisting of a coalition of community groups from the designated

historic districts A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from cer ...

(of which there were then only 14), to serve as their representative, and to advocate for more support for the newly created

Landmarks Preservation Commission The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is the New York City agency charged with administering the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. The LPC is responsible for protecting New York City's architecturally, historically, and cu ...

. In the late 1970s, its focus shifted as it began to advocate for the designation of additional historic districts. In 1985, HDC became an independent, incorporated organization with its own officers. HDC hired its first full-time executive director in 1992. HDC's offices are located in the former rectory of St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery, at 232 East 11th Street, in the East Village neighborhood of

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

. The organization shares space with the

Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation Village Preservation (formerly the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, or GVSHP) is a non-profit organization which advocates for the preservation of architecture and culture in several neighborhoods of Lower Manhattan, New York. ...

. Frampton Tolbert is the executive director.

Advocacy

In New York City, HDC is the only advocate for designated historic districts and for neighborhoods meriting preservation in all five boroughs. HDC organizes neighborhood residents in their efforts to gain protection for their communities, assists property owners through the

's processes, and monitors preserved properties. HDC also helps promote historic districts and holds annual conferences on topics related to preservation. HDC is an independent, private organization, although it works with the city government, other preservation organizations, and individual neighborhood groups. As advocate for New York's over 150 designated historic districts, HDC advises community groups about preservation issues and consults with building owners about what Landmarks Preservation Commission regulations mean. HDC is the only organization in the city that covers all applications. As advocate for neighborhoods not designated but meriting protection, HDC advises community groups that come to it because they are seeking historic designation. An HDC staff member meets with them in their neighborhoods to talk about what designation means and advises them how to proceed. They then make concrete suggestions and then counsel groups on how to apply for designation, on what kind of research is necessary and how to get it done. HDC always stress the importance of community support and help local groups obtain it. Sometimes HDC initiates the designation process itself, usually in nonresidential areas that do not have local community leaders. In those cases, HDC sponsors the work that would otherwise be done by a community group. HDC also sponsors applications to New York State and National Registers of Historic Places. Listing on these Registers often helps move the designation process forward at the

. To preserve the integrity of the Landmarks Law, HDC monitors behavior of city government and the LPC, taking issue with actions and policies when as they see needed. HDC testifies before the City Planning Commission, the Art Commission, the Board of Standards and Appeals and the

City Council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counc ...

, usually on the effect a proposal would have on historic neighborhoods. Sometimes, the HDC holds public assemblies to gauge the effect of political elections.

Landmarks Lion Award

Since 1990, the Historic Districts Council has bestowed the Landmarks Lion Award upon those who have shown unusual devotion and aggressiveness in protecting New York City's historic buildings and neighborhoods. The Landmarks Lions include: *Frank E. Sanchis III – 2022 *Darren Walker and the Ford Foundation - 2021 *50 Years of HDC - 2020 *Anne Van Ingen - 2019 *Boston Valley Terra Cotta; Friends of Terra Cotta; and Gladding, McBean - 2018 *Jeffrey Greene and EverGreene Architectural Arts - 2017 *Nancy Pearsall and Francis Morrone - 2016 *Pride of Lions - 2015 *Andrew Scott Dolkart - 2014 *Hugh & Tiziana Hardy - 2013 *Roberta Brandes Gratz - 2012 *Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel - 2011 *Robert A. M. Stern - 2010 *Rev. Dr. Thomas F. Pike - 2009 *Walter Melvin - 2008 *Lisa Ackerman - 2007 *Robert Silman - 2006 *Barry Lewis - 2005 *Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners - 2004 *Kitty Carlisle Hart - 2003 *Kenneth K. Fisher - 2002 *Dorothy Miner - 2001 *Joyce Matz - 2000 *Anthony C. Wood - 1999 *Dr. James Marston Fitch - 1998 *Kent Barwick - 1997 *Edward S. Kirkland - 1996 *Joan K. Davidson - 1995 *Arlene Simon - 1994 *Otis Pratt Pearsall - 1994 *Margot Gayle - 1993 *Jack Taylor - 1992 *Halina Rosenthal - 1991 *Christabel Gough - 1990

Funding

HDC's financing comes from grants by government entities such as the

New York State Council on the Arts The New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) is an arts council serving the U.S. state of New York. It was established in 1960 through a bill introduced in the New York State Legislature by New York State Senator MacNeil Mitchell (1905–1996 ...

and the New York City Council; from private foundations, funds and corporations; from fund-raising events; and from individual donations. More than 700 Friends of HDC contribute on a regular basis and participate in its public activities.

References

{{Authority control Historic preservation organizations in the United States Historic districts in New York (state) Non-profit organizations based in New York City 1985 establishments in New York City