The Issue: Whether Mayor Bloomberg’s support for landmarking benefits neighborhoods and citizens.
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Creating historic districts, as Stephen B. Meister concludes, does the opposite of what Mayor Bloomberg promised — that is, to create more affordable housing (“‘History’ v. Housing,” PostOpinion, April 10).
Politicians, like medications, become less useful with overuse. Can anyone name a single elected official who accomplished more in his or her third term than in the first two?
Historic districts are about Bloomberg and the individuals who work with him. As with so many of the things his administration is doing, they are not for the electorate.
Unfortunately, those waiting in the wings are much worse. I wish NYPD Police Commissioner Ray Kelly would join the mayoral race.
Robert Sanfilippo
Roslyn Heights
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Sunday’s article (“This Gas Station Is a Landmark?” April 8) and Monday’s Op-Ed, bemoaning the creation of historic districts, ignore their popularity and the legitimate role of the Landmarks Preservation Commission in overseeing new development in these areas.
The commission is designating additional districts because residents throughout the city are asking for them to be landmarked.
They know that designation protects their property values and the character of their neighborhoods.
The commission includes gas stations and vacant lots within a district to ensure that eventual development is appropriate. And its review ensures a better-designed building.
Blaming historic districts for high rents and “constraining the housing supply” is totally without merit.
The map printed Sunday clearly shows how little of the city is landmarked.
Peg Breen
President
The NY Landmarks
Conservancy
Manhattan