Preservationists want the city to expand the Madison Square North Historic District

Manhattan preservationists are hoping the city will make the Madison Square North Historic District three blocks bigger.

Several elected officials, including State Senator Brad Hoylman and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, are calling on the Landmarks Preservation Commission to expand the Madison Square North Historic District in the wake of a failed attempt to landmark the neighborhood’s 116-year-old building at 316 Fifth Avenue, according to Curbed. The district runs from Madison Avenue to Sixth Avenue And From 25th Street to 29th Street, but preservationists want to expand the district up to 32nd Street and push for buildings up to 34th Street to receive landmark status.

Hoylman previously sent a letter to Landmarks requesting that they landmark 316 Fifth Avenue, thus preventing it from being demolished to make way for Cottonwood Management’s 40-story, 27-unit condominium building, but the commission decided it did not merit landmark status.

The senator wrote in his new letter that the commission “abdicated its responsibility to preserve New York’s architectural history” with its decision, making it urgent for the organization “to rectify its mistake by expanding the Madison Square North Historic District to protect the remainder of the buildings in this historic neighborhood.” [Curbed] – Eddie Small