We previously featured this little farmhouse that could at 121 Charles Street in Greenwich Village, which was moved in 1967 from the Upper East Side to save it from demolition. Last month, news broke that it might be razed for condos–something that the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation warned was a “misguided” assumption. GVSHP executive director Andrew Berman writes,
Many press reports have perpetuated the misimpression that this house could simply be torn down and replaced at will. What these reports fail to mention, however, is that because this structure is located within a designated historic district, no changes can be made to it without a long public hearing process and ultimately the approval of the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC). The Commission is charged with ensuring that only “appropriate” changes are allowed to historically significant sites such as this.”
While the LPC sometimes makes its own missteps, Berman believes that “the notion that this incredibly unique site could be viewed as a ‘blank canvas’ seems profoundly misguided.”
GVSHP also recently created this fun map of the house, known as the Margaret Wise Brown House, and its move from York Avenue.
See more photographs of 121 Charles Street in our article here.
To hear about her delightful encounter with the house dog at 121 Charles Street, get in touch with the author @untappedmich.
