What's happening
This bill requires the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission to designate the Broadway/Flushing neighborhood as a historic district.
Why it matters
Strengthens local preservation. By mandating the Landmarks Preservation Commission to grant historic district status, the bill would provide stronger, locally enforced protections for Broadway/Flushing’s architectural and historic character, beyond state and national listings.
Limits development and alterations. Property owners in the designated area would face stricter rules for renovations, demolitions, and new construction, potentially preserving neighborhood aesthetics but also affecting property rights and development opportunities.
May increase property values and tourism. Historic district designation often enhances community prestige, potentially increasing property values and attracting heritage tourism, benefiting local businesses and homeowners.
Sets a precedent for other neighborhoods. This top-down approach (state law overriding local decision-making) could encourage other neighborhoods to seek similar legislative action for historic protections, potentially shifting how preservation decisions are made in New York City.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Protect Broadway/Flushing Historic District
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to cities
- Referred to cities
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Protect Broadway/Flushing’s Historic Status
In Assembly Committee · Cities · Sponsor Edward Braunstein
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2554
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 28, 2019
Introduced by Sen. STAVISKY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Cities
AN ACT in relation to requiring that the New York city landmarks preservation commission grant historic district designation to the Broadway/Flushing neighborhood
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Notwithstanding any other rule, regulation, local, special or general law to the contrary, the Broadway/Flushing neighborhood was granted registration on the state and national registers of historic places in 2006 and in accordance with such designation, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission shall grant historic district designation to such neighborhood.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02664-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act in relation to requiring that the New York city landmarks preser- vation commission grant historic district designation to the Broadway/Flushing neighborhood
Purpose
To require the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission to grant historic district designation to Broadway/Flushing neighborhood.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 states that notwithstanding any other rule, regulation, local special or general law to the contrary, the Broadway/Flushing neighbor- hood was granted registration on the state and national registers of historic places in 2006 and in accordance with such designation, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission shall grant historic district designation to such neighborhood.
Section 3 states that this act shall take effect immediately.
Justification
Currently, neighborhoods can change their zoning to protect against overdevelopment or apply for historic district designation to protect the historic character of the neighborhood. Unfortunately, some neigh- borhoods have been unsuccessful in obtaining either type of protection due to the difficulty in getting an area zoned as a special district or because of the overly restrictive qualifications that are required for a historic district designation.
One such neighborhood, Broadway-Flushing in Queens, has spent years fighting against the Landmarks Preservation Commission's refusal to designate their neighborhood as a historic district, despite their registration on the state and national registers of historic places in 2006.
This bill would require the Landmarks Preservation Commission to finally grant Broadway-Flushing historic district designation and allow the neighborhood to retain the unique architectural integrity of their community that would otherwise be lost to development.
Legislative history
2016: A.9685/S.7032 - Referred to Cities.
2017-2018: A.1282/S.1532 - Referred to Cities.
Fiscal implications
Minimal.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.