Preserving New York: Winning the Right to Protect a City's Landmarks [Hardcover]

Anthony Wood (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0415952840 | ISBN-13: 978-0415952842 | Publication Date: October 25, 2007 | Edition: 1

Preserving New York is the largely unknown inspiring story of the origins of New York City’s nationally acclaimed landmarks law. The decades of struggle behind the law, its intellectual origins, the men and women who fought for it, the forces that shaped it, and the buildings lost and saved on the way to its ultimate passage, span from 1913 to 1965. Intended for the interested public as well as students of New York City history, architecture, and preservation itself, over 100 illustrations help reveal a history richer and more complex than the accepted myth that the landmarks law sprang from the wreckage of the great Pennsylvania Station. Images include those by noted historic photographers as well as those from newspaper accounts of the time. Forgotten civic leaders such as Albert S. Bard and lost buildings including the Brokaw Mansions, are unveiled in an extensively researched narrative bringing this essential episode in New York’s history to future generations tasked with protecting the city’s landmarks. For the first time, the story of how New York won the right to protect its treasured buildings, neighborhoods and special places is brought together to enjoy, inform, and inspire all who love New York.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Preserving New York is a valuable, deeply researched account of a little-knowm aspect of the city's past...And the photographs are wonderful..." -- Francis Morrone, The Wall Street Journal, January 2008

"Preserving New York...makes an important contribution to our overall understanding of preservation history in New York City by focusing on one compelling story - the previously untold saga of the people and places, the buildings and battles, and the politics and policies that led to the passage of New York City's landmarks law in 1965." -- Preservation Advocate, newsletter of the Preservation League of New York, Issue 121

"Knowing the early history of the movement, which is detailed admirably in Anthony C. Wood’s recent book Preserving New York: Winning a Right to Protect a City’s Landmarks is key to understanding the persistence and fervor with which New York’s preservationists follow the actions of this small city agency [Landmarks Preservation Commission.]" -- The New York Times, March 2009 

"Anthony Wood’s Preserving New York helps us realize again that preservation is about passionate people, not about laws—itshould be required reading for all of us who care about preserving our history." -- Buildings & Landscapes 16, no. 2 , Fall 2009

 

About the Author

Anthony C. Wood is a preservationist, historian, teacher and grant maker. Currently the Executive Director of the Ittleson Foundation, he has worked for the J.M. Kaplan Fund and the Municipal Art Society. He is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Historic Preservation at Columbia University and is the founder and Chair of the New York Preservation Archive Project.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (October 25, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415952840
• ISBN-13: 978-0415952842
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #266,770 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Preserving New York: A Must-Read for Every Preservationist, January 17, 2010

By 

William J. Cook (Charleston, SC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Preserving New York: Winning the Right to Protect a City's Landmarks (Hardcover)

Although many people think of New York City as a place that never looks back, it has managed to retain a wealth of architectural evidence from the past, even as it has experienced significant losses. In his book Preserving New York: Winning the Right to Protect a City's Landmarks (2008), noted preservation advocate and expert Anthony C. Wood describes New York's historic preservation legacy with a fresh point of view, one that goes far beyond the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Penn Central. (Historic preservation aficionados know this case as the first to uphold historic preservation as a valid public policy; most others associate it with the regulatory takings test the Court established there.) Describing an overlooked period in the development of the preservation movement in New York--1913 to 1965--Wood gives insight into the origins of the City's Landmarks Law. This nationally recognized law, Wood demonstrates, didn't spring into being merely because of the destruction of Pennsylvania Station, but also resulted from the culmination of the efforts of forgotten civic leaders on behalf of a wide range of equally important historic properties. Their work lives on in the rich and varied city we appreciate today and in the laws that protect it. Preservation leaders across the country will find lessons to apply in their own communities. In addition, I recommend it as a text to accompany any course in historic preservation.

William J. Cook
Assistant Professor
Charleston School of Law

5.0 out of 5 stars An authoritative source on NYC preservation history, February 16, 2009

By 

Akiko (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Preserving New York: Winning the Right to Protect a City's Landmarks (Hardcover)

Anthony C. Wood's Preserving New York: Winning the Right to Protect A City's Landmarks is an exceptionally well-researched and enlightening resource for historians, preservationists, and NYC history enthusiasts. With solid, objective evidence and facts - and some interesting revelations - it documents the battle over the city's great landmarks and sites, exploring the challenges and victories of the dedicated people involved in this struggle.

5.0 out of 5 stars An essential addition to your preservation library, February 16, 2009

By 

A. Patel (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Preserving New York: Winning the Right to Protect a City's Landmarks (Hardcover)

For anyone interested in New York City history, this is definitely the book to read. Written in a concise and fluent style, with interesting details and brilliant illustrations, it tells the fascinating tale of the city's preservation history and the efforts of countless individuals to protect the city's great landmarks.