The city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission designated 11 properties in Midtown East as historical landmarks, ahead of the proposed rezoning for the area.
Included in the list are the 31-story Graybar Building at 420 Lexington Avenue and the 25-story Pershing Square building at 125 Park Avenue, both owned by SL Green Realty. The landmarked designation will protect the two buildings, built in 1927 and 1923 respectively, from demolition.
SL Green [TRDataCustom] said in a statement Monday that preserving 125 Park Avenue as a landmark could “preclude millions of New Yorkers from enjoying a better commute.”
The Real Estate Board of New York opposed the designations. In July, REBNY said in a statement that the 11 buildings had “little to no architectural or historic merit.” [Bloomberg] — Chava Gourarie