NYC Historic Sites Face Demolition Threat Amid Affordable Housing Push

New York City is currently not considering any buildings for landmark designations, a move that preservationists fear will lead to the demolition of historic churches and other significant structures to make way for affordable housing. According to city records, this year is on track to be the worst for preservation since the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) was established in 1965.

Richard Moses, president of the Lower East Side Preservation Initiative, expressed concern that without landmark protection, historic buildings, including tenements, synagogues, and churches, could be razed and replaced with new developments. "Without landmark protection, it’s very likely that eventually all of the historic buildings, the tenements, the old synagogues and churches, the institutional buildings will be demolished and turned into luxury housing and expensive hotels, the way things are going," Moses told The Post.

The city's approach has shifted under Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who prioritizes affordable housing. The LPC announced an "equity framework" in 2021, aiming to ensure diversity and inclusion in designations. However, critics argue this has led to a de facto halt in new landmark considerations, particularly for older religious institutions.

One structure of particular concern is the Most Holy Redeemer church in Manhattan's East Village, a granite and limestone building constructed in 1851 by German missionaries. Although the Catholic diocese owns the building, it has seen limited use in recent years. Moses described it as potentially the "most important landmarking situation in the East Village," noting that landmark designation often protects only the facade, not the interior.

Another building under threat is the Church of Saint Mary on Grand Street in the Lower East Side, which had been calendared for landmark protection under the previous administration. Preservationists also point to Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church on West 14th Street, the city's first Spanish-speaking congregation founded in 1902, as being at risk since it has been decommissioned by the diocese.

Several other sites are also facing uncertainty, including the New York Ear and Eye Infirmary, the Church of the Transfiguration in Queens, and the Church of St. Michael in Chelsea. Preservationists are advocating for landmark status for these and other historically significant buildings.

The housing affordability crisis in New York City is a significant factor driving these concerns. Median rents in Manhattan have reached record highs, prompting city officials and developers to seek new locations for construction. City Comptroller Mark Levine stated, "NYC’s housing affordability crisis is at DEFCON 1. We need to push harder on every front to address our housing shortage."

Legislation such as the proposed “Faith Based Affordable Housing Act” has also raised alarms among preservationists. Though it did not pass in the last legislative session, the bill aimed to amend landmark protections for houses of worship, allowing for demolition or alteration of historic religious sites in exchange for a portion of below-market-rate units. Mayor Mamdani has identified neighborhoods with low rates of affordable housing production for accelerated development.

Michele Bogart, former vice president of the New York City Art Commission, suggested that preservation may be a lower priority for the current administration. "Culture is low on the totem pole. If the mayor really wants an affordable housing complex to go on a historic site, it’ll probably happen," she told The Post. "The city will gain more for its coffers, presumably, in tax money."

New York City has designated over 38,000 landmarks, many within historic districts. However, only three buildings were officially landmarked this year, and these designations were initiated under former Mayor Eric Adams. The LPC, established in response to the demolition of the original Penn Station in 1963, has seen its designation efforts significantly slow in recent years, with only 11 designations in 2024 and four in the previous year. The LPC did not respond to requests for comment.

"It’s a nightmare what’s happening with the churches," Bogart added. "I don’t see the merit of tearing down a church in favor of putting up some anodyne glass building. You lose something significant in that."