CPC Hearing: Affordable Housing Fast Track Rules

On April 1, 2026 at 10:00 a.m., the New York City Planning Commission (CPC) will hold a public hearing on proposed rules to implement the new Affordable Housing Fast Track program, one of the ballot proposals approved by voters in last November’s election. These rules will shape how neighborhoods are

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Another Piece of Yorkville’s History Shattered: St. Elizabeth of Hungary to Be Replaced by Luxury Condos

For more than 130 years, St. Elizabeth of Hungary at 213 East 83rd Street served as a spiritual home and cultural cornerstone for generations of German and Slovak immigrants in Yorkville. Built in 1893, the church stood at the heart of the neighborhood’s working-class community, sustaining faith, language, and tradition

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The Doelger Building Deserves Protection, Not a Wrecking Ball

FRIENDS is deeply dismayed by reports that the Doelger Building will be demolished and replaced with a luxury condominium tower. Another irreplaceable piece of Yorkville’s architectural and cultural heritage now stands on the brink of erasure. The four-story Art Deco Doelger Building at Third Avenue and East 84th Street is

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News from FRIENDS – Fall 2024

This past Tuesday, March 27th, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a public hearing on a new set of rules the agency has proposed to streamline the process of making changes to designated historic buildings.

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