HISTORIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES

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CHAPTER 9

Environmental review for historic and cultural resources includes a survey and planning process that helps protect New

York City cultural heritage from the potential impacts of projects undergoing CEQR. Historic resources and archaeolog-

ical sites are identified and evaluated, and if impacts are found, they are mitigated or avoided to the greatest extent

practicable.

As with each technical area assessed under CEQR, it is important for an applicant to work closely with the lead agency

during the entire environmental review process. The lead agency may determine it is appropriate to consult or coordi-

nate with the City’s expert technical agencies for a particular project. Here, the New York City Landmarks Preservation

Commission (LPC) should be consulted for information, technical review, and recommendations for mitigation relating

to historic and cultural resources. If consultation is appropriate, it is recommended that LPC be contacted as early as

possible in the environmental review process. Section 700 further outlines appropriate coordination. This chapter first

defines historic and cultural resources, as well as the criteria used to determine eligibility of an historic resource (Sec-

tion 100). Then, if it is determined that a project might be of a type that may impact historic and cultural resources

(Section 200), a survey is conducted to identify both known and potential resources (Section 300). Next, the impact of

the project on these resources is analyzed (Section 400), and if significant impacts are identified, then mitigation

measures are discussed and considered (Section 500). Alternatives (Section 600) are also discussed.

Historic and cultural resources include both architectural and archaeological resources. Architectural resources gener-

ally include historically important buildings, structures, objects, sites, and districts. They may include bridges, canals,

piers, wharves, and railroad transfer bridges that may be wholly or partially visible above ground. Archaeological re-

sources are physical remains, usually subsurface, of the prehistoric, Native American, and historic periods—such as

burials, foundations, artifacts, wells, and privies. As a general rule, archaeological resources do not include 20

and

Century artifacts.

110. BUILDINGS

A building is a structure created to shelter human activity. The historical or architectural value of individual build-

ings may range from the monumental, such as the American Museum of Natural History, to the modest or unique,

such as the Fraunces Tavern block in Lower Manhattan.

120. STRUCTURES

A structure is a built work composed of interdependent parts or elements in an organized pattern. A structure is

distinct from a building, which is a construction for the purpose of shelter. A structure is a functional construction

made for a purpose other than shelter, such as a bridge, wharf, or other engineering project. The “Cyclone” roller

coaster at Coney Island is an example of a structure, as are military fortifications, such as Fort William and Fort Jay

on Governors Island or the batteries at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island.

100. DEFINITIONS

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130. OBJECTS

An object is an item of functional, aesthetic, cultural, historical, or scientific value that may be movable, but is re-

lated to a given environment or setting. The designated sidewalk clocks in Manhattan and Queens, and Native

American stone tools are examples of objects.

140. SITES

A site is a location or place that possesses historic, cultural, or archaeological value, either because a significant

event or sequence of events took place there, or because an important building or structure, whether now stand-

ing, ruined, or vanished, is or was, located there. A site can be important because of its association with signifi-

cant historic (or prehistoric) events or activities, buildings, structures, objects, or people, or because of its poten-

tial to yield information important in prehistory or history. Examples of sites include a Native American habitation

site or a battlefield.

Urban landscape features are also a type of site and include parks, gardens, or streetscapes that are planned open

spaces within a built urban environment. Examples include Central Park, Prospect Park, and the historic street

plan of Lower Manhattan.

150. DISTRICTS

A district is a geographically definable area that possesses a significant concentration of associated buildings,

structures, urban landscape features, or archaeological sites, united historically or aesthetically by plan and design

or physical development and historical and/or architectural relationships. Although composed of many resources,

a district derives its importance from having a coherent identity. A district may consist of historic or archaeologi-

cal resources. The African Burial Ground and The Commons Historic District is an example of a district with ar-

chaeological resources.

The Central Park West-West 73rd-74th Street Historic District (which is within the larger Upper West Side-Central

Park West Historic District) is an example of a district unified by plan or design. This district reflects the vision of

Edward Clark, president of the Singer Sewing Machine Company, and his heirs, who used restrictive covenants

governing height and setbacks to create homogeneous residential streetscapes surrounding the monumental

buildings that define Central Park West (e.g., the New-York Historical Society, the Dakota, the American Museum

of Natural History). An example of a district notable for its historical and/or architectural relationships is the

Brooklyn Heights Historic District, which comprises a concentration of buildings of several styles predating the Civ-

il War, including Federal, Gothic Revival, and Italianate.

160. HISTORIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES UNDER CEQR

For the purposes of CEQR, the following are always considered historical and cultural resources:

 Designated New York City landmarks, interior landmarks, scenic landmarks, and properties within desig-

nated New York City historic districts.

 Resources calendared for consideration as one of the above by LPC.

 Resources listed on, or formally determined eligible for inclusion on, the State and/or National Register of

Historic Places, or contained within a district listed on, or formally determined eligible for listing on, the

State and/or National Register of Historic Places.

 Resources recommended by the New York State Board for Historic Preservation for listing on the State

and/or National Registers of Historic Places.

 National Historic Landmarks.

 Resources not identified by one of the programs listed above, but that meet their eligibility requirements.

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161. Eligibility requirements for the National or State Register or local landmark designation

The U.S. Secretary of the Interior has established criteria of eligibility for listing on the National Register of

Historic Places. See 36 CFR Part 60. New York State and LPC have adopted these criteria for use in identifying

significant historic resources for SEQRA and CEQR review.

It should be noted that even if a property is excluded from eligibility for the National or State Register(s), it

may be eligible for designation under the New York City Landmarks Law, which has different criteria for eligi-

bility from those of the National Register. Consequently, the New York City Landmarks Law criteria are also

applicable in assessing historic resources that may be affected by the project. For example, if a property is

not eligible for the National Register for any reason, but it is eligible for designation under the New York City

Landmarks Law, the potential for impacts to this historic resource must be considered under CEQR. Below are

the criteria for eligibility for both the National Register and New York City Landmarks.

161.1. National Register Criteria

To be considered eligible for the National Register, a property must represent a significant part of the

history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or culture of an area, and it must have the character-

istics that make it a good representative of properties associated with that aspect of the past. The

scope of significance may be local, state, regional, or national. The consideration of whether a prop-

erty represents an important aspect of an area's history or prehistory is related to its associative val-

ues; the consideration of its characteristics is related to its integrity. Described below are the Na-

tional Register's criteria for associative values and measures of integrity, both of which must be met

in order to be eligible for listing. These criteria apply to both archaeological and architectural re-

sources. More guidance on the National Register criteria described below is provided in the U.S. De-

partment of the Interior's “National Register Bulletin 15: How to Apply the National Register Criteria

for Evaluation,” as well as numerous other National Register Bulletins.

161.1.1. ASSOCIATIVE VALUES

The National Register criteria for evaluation identify the values that make a building, structure, ob-

ject, site, or district significant. To be significant, property must meet at least one of these criteria:

 Be associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of

history.

o For example, the Bowne House in Flushing, Queens, possesses important historical

associations because it contains the kitchen wing of the oldest house in Queens, built

by John Bowne in 1661 with additions that date to 1680 and 1696. Similarly, Flush-

ing's second oldest house, the Kingsland Homestead Museum, which dates to ca.

1774, is an important example of an otherwise lost building tradition, the English

vernacular tradition.

 Be associated with the lives of persons significant in the past.

 Embody distinctive characteristics that possess high artistic values and/or are representative

of a type, period, method of construction, work of a master, or a significant and distinguisha-

ble entity whose components may lack individual distinction.

o Architectural significance can range from buildings that are examples of an architec-

tural style, such as the Greek Revival residences in Brooklyn Heights; that are monu-

mental, such as the American Museum of Natural History; or that represent the work

of a renowned architect, such as the Bayard Condict Building at 65-69 Bleecker Street

in Manhattan, which is the only building in New York City by the well-known architect

Louis H. Sullivan.

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 Have yielded, or have the potential to yield, information important in prehistory or history.

o As applied in practice, this means that potential resources are more important if they

can provide information about the past that cannot be determined from other

sources. Significance for archaeological sites is usually related to this criterion. For

example, Five Points, an archaeological site that was adjacent to Foley Square in

Manhattan, was significant because the archaeological assemblage provided a profile

of this 19

century neighborhood that belied the Victorian description of it as noth-

ing but a notorious slum.

161.1.2. INTEGRITY

To be eligible for the National Register, a property must not only be significant under one of the four

associative criteria for eligibility listed above, it also must have integrity. Integrity is the ability of a

property to convey its significance. It is defined in the federal guidelines as "the authenticity of a

property's historic identity, evidenced by the survival of physical attributes that existed during the

property's historic or prehistoric period." The National Register criteria recognize seven measures

that define integrity:

LOCATION. Location is the place where the historic property was constructed or the place where

the historic event occurred. The location of a property, together with its setting (see below), is

important in recapturing a sense of history.

SETTING. Setting is the physical environment of an historic property. While location refers to the

specific place where a property was built or an event occurred, setting refers to the character of

the place in which the property played its historical role. It involves the relationship of the prop-

erty to its surrounding features (such as topography, vegetation, and other buildings or open

spaces).

DESIGN. Design is the combination of elements that create the form, plan, space, structure, and

style of a property. It includes such elements as organization of space, proportion, scale, tech-

nology, ornamentation, and materials (and thus, massing, pattern of fenestration, textures and

colors of surface materials, etc.).

MATERIALS. These are physical elements combined or deposited during a particular period of time

and in a particular pattern. A property must retain the key exterior materials dating from the pe-

riod of its significance. If the property was altered before the period that gave it significance, the

materials of the alteration, rather than the original materials, are important. According to the

Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation (36 CFR Part 68), significant historic altera-

tions are defined as "changes which may have taken place in the course of time and are evidence

of the history and development of a building, structure, or site and its environment. These

changes may have acquired significance in their own right and this significance shall be recog-

nized and respected." Consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) at the New

York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) and LPC is helpful in de-

termining if significant alterations or additions have occurred.

WORKMANSHIP. This is the physical evidence of the crafts of a particular culture or people or the

labor and skill in constructing or altering a resource. Examples of workmanship in historic build-

ings include tooling, carving, and painting.

FEELING. Feeling is the physical characteristics that evoke the aesthetic or historic sense of a par-

ticular period of time.

ASSOCIATION. This is the direct link between an historic property and an important historic event

or person. Like feeling (above), association requires the presence of physical features that con-

vey this relationship.

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To retain integrity, a property possesses at least one and typically several of these aspects. The as-

pects important to a particular property determine the significance of the property. The property

must retain the aspects for which it is significant and the essential physical features that contribute to

a property's significance must continue to be present and visible. For example, a building considered

significant as an example of a particular architectural style must retain the distinctive design charac-

teristics of that style. The measures of integrity relate to the period for which the resource is signifi-

cant – for example, if the resource was altered before that period, its integrity is not affected (see the

discussion of significant alterations above).

161.1.3. SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

Certain kinds of individual properties may qualify for listing on the National Register if they are inte-

gral parts of districts that meet the eligibility criteria, but would not usually be considered for individ-

ual listing on the National Register. These types of properties include: properties less than 50 years

old, religious properties, moved properties, birthplaces and graves, cemeteries, reconstructed prop-

erties, and commemorative properties. However, these properties may be eligible for the National

CFR Part 60.

Although properties typically must be at least 50 years old to be eligible for the National Register,

younger properties that are of exceptional local, state, regional, or national importance may still be

eligible. The 50-year criterion was created as guidance, to ensure that sufficient time has passed to

allow an evaluation of the historical value of a place. However, a property less than 50 years old may

be eligible for the National Register if its exceptional contribution to an area’s history, architecture,

archaeology, engineering, and/or culture can clearly be demonstrated. Examples of properties in

New York City determined eligible for listing or listed on the National Register before they were 50

years old include the following:

 The Chrysler Building (completed in 1930), which was listed on the Register because it is con-

sidered the epitome of "style moderne" architecture.

 The Whitney Museum of American Art (completed in 1966), which is considered exceptional-

ly important as the work of an internationally renowned architect (Marcel Breuer), and rep-

resentative of modern architecture during the 1950's and 1960's.

 The Lever House building (completed in 1952), which is important as one of the first corpo-

rate expressions of the International style of architecture in America.

 The Municipal Asphalt Plant (completed in 1944), which was the first successful American use

of the parabolic arch form in reinforced concrete.

The other kinds of properties typically not eligible for the National Register —cemeteries, birthplaces

or graves of historical figures, properties primarily religious in nature, commemorative properties,

and moved or reconstructed buildings or structures—can qualify for the National Register if they

have achieved additional significance, as follows:

 Religious properties deriving primary significance from architectural or artistic distinction or

historical importance; and cemeteries deriving their primary significance from graves of per-

sons of transcendent importance, from age, from distinctive design features, or from associa-

tion with historic events. For example, Trinity Church and Graveyard in Manhattan are both

listed on the National Register. The church, the third to stand at this site for Trinity Parish,

which was formed in 1697, is an outstanding example of Gothic Revival style. The grave-

yard’s antiquity gives it importance, and it forms an integral and historical component of the

setting in which the church now stands. A cemetery can be considered significant if it con-

tains headstones of aesthetic significance, such as headstones inscribed with early death

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heads or skulls and bones, or important funereal statuary. New York's 18th century African

Burial Ground was designated a National Historic Landmark and listed on the National Regis-

ter based on two criteria of significance: it has the potential to yield information important

in history and it is associated with exceptionally significant events in United States history.

For burial sites, please see Section 511 below; reference may also be made to the U.S. De-

partment of the Interior's “National Register Bulletin 41: Guidelines for Evaluating and Regis-

tering Cemeteries and Burial Places.”

 A building or structure removed from its original location, but that is significant primarily for

architectural value or is the surviving structure most importantly associated with an historic

person or event.

 A reconstructed building when accurately executed in a suitable environment and presented

in a dignified manner as part of a restoration master plan and when no other building or

structure with the same association has survived.

 A birthplace or grave of an historical figure of outstanding importance, if no other appropri-

ate site or building directly associated with his or her productive life exists.

 A property primarily commemorative in intent if design, age, tradition, or symbolic value has

invested it with its own exceptional significance.

The U.S. Department of the Interior's “National Register Bulletin 15: How to Apply the National Reg-

ister Criteria for Evaluation” provides more information about these criteria considerations.

161.2. New York City Landmarks Law Criteria

Even if a property is excluded from eligibility for the National or State Register(s), it may be eligible

for designation under the New York City Landmarks Law, which has different criteria for eligibility

from those of the National Register. For further information on LPC designated properties and histor-

ic districts, see the LPC website.

The New York City Landmarks Law establishes criteria for designation of significant cultural resources.

That law was established to achieve the following goals, among others:

 Effect and accomplish the protection, enhancement, and perpetuation of such buildings,

structures, places, works of art, and objects (collectively termed, "improvements"); landscape

features; and districts that represent or reflect elements of the City's cultural, social, eco-

nomic, political, and architectural history.

 Safeguard the City's historic, aesthetic, and cultural heritage, as embodied and reflected in

such improvements, landscape features, and districts.

The New York City Landmarks Law recognizes several types of resources:

LANDMARK. A property is eligible for designation as a landmark if it meets the following criteria:

any improvement (building, structure, place, work of art, and/or object), any part of which is 30

years old or older, that has a special character or special historical or aesthetic interest or value

as part of the development, heritage, or cultural characteristics of the City, State, or nation.

INTERIOR LANDMARK. A property is eligible for designation as an interior landmark if it meets the

following criteria: it is an interior (the visible surfaces of the interior of an improvement) or part

thereof, any part of which is 30 years old or older, and that is customarily open or accessible to

the public, or to which the public is customarily invited, and that has a special historical or aes-

thetic interest or value as part of the development, heritage, or cultural characteristics of the

City, state, or nation.

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SCENIC LANDMARK. A New York City-owned property is eligible for designation as a scenic landmark

if it meets the following criteria: it is a landscape feature (any grade, body of water, stream, rock,

plant, shrub, tree, path, walkway, road, plaza, fountain, sculpture, or other form of natural or ar-

tificial landscaping) or an aggregate of landscape features, any part of which is 30 years old or

older, that has or have a special character or special historical or aesthetic interest or value as

part of the development, heritage, or cultural characteristics of the City, State, or nation.

HISTORIC DISTRICT. An area is eligible for designation as an historic district if it contains improve-

ments that have a special character or special historical or aesthetic interest or value that repre-

sent one or more periods or styles of architecture typical of one or more eras in the history of

New York City; and the area, by reason of such factors, constitutes a distinct section of the City.

210. ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES

Archaeological resources usually need to be assessed for projects that would result in any in-ground disturbance.

In-ground disturbance is any disturbance to an area not previously excavated, including new excavation that is

deeper and/or wider than previous excavation on the same site. Examples of projects that typically require as-

sessment are:

 Above-ground construction resulting in-ground disturbance, including construction of temporary roads and

access facilities, grading, or landscaping.

 Below-ground construction, such as installation of utilities or excavation, including that for footings or

piles.

Analysis of archaeological resources typically is not necessary in the following circumstances:

 Projects that would not result in ground disturbance.

 Projects that would result in disturbance only of areas that have already been recently excavated for other

purposes, such as basements, concourses, sunken plazas, etc. However, if the area proposed to be exca-

vated exceeds the previous disturbance in depth or footprint, archaeological assessment may be appropri-

ate.

For any projects that would result in new ground disturbance (as described above), assessment of both prehistoric

and historic archaeological resources is appropriate.

220. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES

Generally, architectural resources should be surveyed and assessed if the proposed project would result in any of

the following, whether or not any known historic resources are located near the site of the project:

 New construction, demolition, or significant physical alteration to any building, structure, or object.

 A change in scale, visual prominence, or visual context of any building, structure, or object or landscape

feature. Visual prominence is generally the way in which a building, structure, object, or landscape feature

is viewed. For example, a building may be part of an open setting, such as a tower within a plaza, which is

either conforming or non-conforming with the street wall in terms of its height, footprint, and/or setback.

Visual context is the character of the surrounding built or natural environment. This may include the fol-

lowing: the architectural components of an area's buildings (e.g., height, scale, proportion, massing, fenes-

tration, ground-floor configuration, style), streetscapes, skyline, landforms, vegetation, and openness to

the sky.

200. DETERMINING WHETHER AN HISTORIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES ASSESSMENT IS APPROPRIATE

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 Construction, including but not limited to, excavating vibration, subsidence, dewatering, and the possibility

of falling objects.

 Additions to or significant removal, grading, or replanting of significant historic landscape features.

 Screening or elimination of publicly accessible views.

 Introduction of significant new shadows or significant lengthening of the duration of existing shadows on

an historic landscape or on an historic structure if the features that make the structure significant depend

on sunlight. For example, stained glass windows that cannot be seen without sunlight, or buildings con-

taining design elements that are part of a recognized architectural style that depends on the contrast be-

tween light and dark design elements, such as deep window reveals and prominent rustication. Please re-

fer to Chapter 8 of this Manual, “Shadows,” for further guidance.

For projects that may affect historic resources (see Section 200), the first step in evaluating a project's potential effects

on historic resources is to consider what area the project might affect and then identify historic resources—whether

officially recognized or eligible for such recognition—within that area. (See Section 160 for a discussion of the stand-

ards for eligibility for listing on the National or State registers and local landmark designation.) The methods of choos-

ing a study area and identifying and evaluating historic resources within that study area are explained in this section.

LPC should be consulted as early as possible in this process.

310. STUDY AREAS

311. Archaeological Resources

The area of subsurface work for the proposed project is considered the impact area. However, environmental

review for archaeological resources is a predictive endeavor. Unlike architectural resources, which are evident

and can be immediately evaluated, potential archaeological resources are hidden below ground. Therefore,

to assess whether the impact area may contain significant archaeological resources, data must be gathered

from the surrounding area to predict the likelihood of archaeological resources existing in the impact area.

For prehistoric resources, it is appropriate to determine whether there are known prehistoric archaeological

resources within a half-mile radius of the site. For historic archaeological resources, it is appropriate to de-

termine if there are known historic archaeological resources in the nearby area, such as on the present-day

full tax lot or within the boundaries of the nearest adjacent mapped streets.

312. Architectural Resources

For architectural resources, the study area is the area in which any resources may be affected by the project.

The size of the study area directly relates to the anticipated extent of the project’s potential impacts, and

should be large enough to permit examination of the relationships between the proposed project and the ex-

isting historic resources. These relationships may be:

PHYSICAL (e.g., a project may require alteration of a resource or may threaten a resource's structural integri-

ty during construction);

VISUAL (e.g., a project may alter the streetscape or background context in which a resource is viewed and

understood); or

HISTORICAL (e.g., a project may change the historical context of a resource if it changes its historic character,

feeling, association, or the way it is understood by the public. This may occur if a formerly public building,

such as a library or recreational facility, became private, or if obvious and tangible links to the resource's

history were removed, such as if bustling meat market activity within a building that is historically signifi-

cant because of that association with the meat market was replaced by another activity).

300. ASSESSMENT METHODS

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For most proposals, a study area defined by the radius of 400 feet from the borders of the project site is ade-

quate. However, study areas of different sizes are sometimes appropriate. If a project involves only limited

construction visible from few locations, for example, a smaller study area may be appropriate. Examples of

situations for which a larger study area may be appropriate include:

 Projects that affect historic districts.

 Projects that involve construction in areas with difficult subsurface conditions (e.g., where dewatering

could change the water table over a wider area and affect historic buildings some distance from the

project site).

 Projects that result in changes over a larger area (e.g., a large-scale development or an area rezoning).

For generic actions, it may be appropriate to identify any "soft" sites that may be developed because of

the project (see Chapter 2, “Establishing the Analysis Framework”) and then consider study areas for

each of those sites that are appropriate in size for the expected changes.

 Projects that result in changes that are highly visible and can be perceived from farther than 400 feet

and could affect the context of historic resources some distance away (e.g., changes to the skyline

around Central Park, or shadows from a new skyscraper that may extend outside a 400’ radius and af-

fect sun-sensitive features of historic resources).

320. ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES

321. Archaeological Resources

After the study areas have been established, all known archaeological resources within those areas are identi-

fied, and the potential for unknown resources is investigated.

LPC is the only City agency that has archaeologists on staff. At any agency’s request, LPC can review projects

undergoing CEQR. To do so, LPC should be provided with a site plan, an explanation of the proposed project,

and photographs of the site. For more detailed information, consult LPC’s 2002 “Guidelines for Archaeologi-

cal Work in New York City.” It is recommended that lead agencies and applicants contact LPC as early as pos-

sible when planning a project.

321.1. Identifying Known Resources

Some archaeological resources have already been identified through City, state, or federal processes

identified above in Section 160. These are listed on, or have been determined eligible for, the State

and/or National Registers of Historic Places; designated New York City landmarks or historic districts

or properties calendared for such designation; properties listed on, determined eligible for, or rec-

ommended by the New York State Board for listing on the State and/or National Registers; or desig-

nated as National Historic Landmarks. In addition, the SHPO and LPC maintain records of known ar-

chaeological sites and areas that are considered likely to contain archaeological resources referred to

as archaeologically "sensitive."

If LPC indicates that a known archaeological site or known sensitive area is located near the project

site, the possibility that the site itself may also contain such resources should be explored as de-

scribed in Subsection 321.2, below. If LPC indicates that a known site or sensitive area is located on

the project site, then further analysis of the project's impact on those archaeological resources must

be performed.

321.2. Investigating Unknown Resources

The next step in the assessment of archaeological resources is to identify unknown resources that

may exist on the site. If documented disturbances on the site exceed depths at which archaeological

resources have been found in the immediate vicinity, then further investigation is likely not neces-

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sary. However, if any part of the site has not been excavated to this depth, analysis continues for

that part of the site, as described below. If the extent of disturbance on the site is unknown, analysis

continues for the entire site as described below. At this point in the analysis, the lead agency may

wish to contact LPC to determine whether the consideration of archaeological resources on the site is

appropriate.

Appropriate methodologies for identifying potential archaeological resources, based on federal

standards and guidelines—particularly the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Ar-

cheology and Historic Preservation, Federal Register, Vol. 48, No. 190—as well as LPC’s “Guidelines

for Archaeological Work in New York City,” 2002, are summarized in this subsection. Use of an ar-

chaeologist who is registered by the Register of Professional Archaeologists, and/or qualified for such

registration may be appropriate for an evaluation of unknown archaeological resources.

Typically, the initial analysis of unidentified archaeological resources consists of two parts, often per-

formed simultaneously:

1. A determination of the potential for any prehistoric or historic material remains (artifacts,

structures, refuse, etc.) existing on the site of the project. This depends on the site's past us-

es, as well as whether those remains, if any, would have survived subsequent disturbance by

other activities, such as construction of later buildings.

2. An evaluation of the potential significance of any such remains. For this step, the National

most likely to be found significant under the fourth criterion—having the potential to yield in-

formation important in prehistory or history—but the other criteria may also be applicable.

As a general rule, archaeological resources do not include 20th and 21st Century artifacts.

A site that is found likely to contain significant material remains is considered to be potentially "ar-

chaeologically sensitive." The site's actual, rather than potential, sensitivity cannot be ascertained

without some field testing or excavation. However, in New York City, the initial assessment of a site's

archaeological sensitivity is typically made through background or archival research, without excava-

tion. This documentary research phase should be extensive enough to allow the lead agency to eval-

uate the likelihood that significant resources are located on the site, and then whether these re-

sources would be affected by the proposed project (Section 500, below). Field work (archaeological

testing or excavation) is most often not needed until after this initial evaluation of sensitivity and de-

termination of the project's significant impacts.

The following research steps are appropriate to determine the potential sensitivity of a project site.

DETERMINE PAST USES ON THE SITE

STEP 1:

Contact the appropriate agencies and other sources to determine whether any known prehistoric ar-

chaeological resources are located near the project site (see Subsection 321.1, above). Presence of

other prehistoric resources in the vicinity is used as an indicator of the site's potential sensitivity for

prehistoric resources.

STEP 2:

Determine the original topography of the project site. Early historical maps and documentary

sources may be used. This step helps assess prehistoric and other archaeological historic resources.

If the site was once located near a water source, on a well-drained elevated site, or near a wetland, it

is more likely to have been utilized by prehistoric and Native American groups. On project sites near

the waterfront that are the result of landfilling operations since the 1600's, original land surface may

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be deeply buried. Additionally, the extent to which the shoreline has altered over the last 14,000

years as a result of climatic changes is also considered.

STEP 3:

Research the development history of the site, as far back in time as possible to determine whether

the site had any historic uses that may be of archaeological interest (such as 17th, 18th, or 19th cen-

tury uses). What is of archaeological interest depends on current research issues in New York City,

and therefore involves some judgment. This is discussed further in step 5, below. The development

history also provides information about more recent uses and the extent to which these uses may

have disturbed the site (step 4, below). For this step, historic maps and New York City Department of

Buildings records may be helpful, as well as other documentary sources when available.

DETERMINE DISTURBANCE ON THE SITE

STEP 4:

If there is evidence of several cycles of construction and demolition, consider whether later con-

struction or demolition episodes disturbed any remains from past uses (identified in step 3). Excava-

tion of late 19th and 20th century building foundations and/or basements, filling, grading, and con-

struction of utility lines may have disturbed earlier, potentially significant archaeological resources.

Typically, construction records filed at the Department of Buildings are a good source of this infor-

mation; historic maps may also be useful.

Determination of the extent to which later land modification activities have affected earlier archaeo-

logical resources requires comparing the documented depth of disturbance with the depths at which

archaeological resources would be expected. This depth depends on the original topography (step 2,

above) and the amounts of filling and alteration that have occurred (step 3). The depths at which ar-

chaeological resources from the same period have been found in the vicinity are a good indicator.

Depths at which significant archaeological resources have been found in New York City vary; 17th

century remains have been identified below 19th century foundations in Lower Manhattan, so the

mere presence of later basements may not have disturbed potentially significant archaeological re-

sources. If documented disturbance clearly exceeds depths at which archaeological resources might

be expected, then no further work may be necessary.

DETERMINE SIGNIFICANCE OF PAST USES THAT MAY REMAIN

STEP 5:

If any past uses of interest are identified during step 3, intensive research may address whether these

uses would be likely to result in meaningful archaeological resources. Research should focus on

whether there were activities that have a discernible or physical signature and whether remains

could provide information that answers important research questions.

Significance is a function of whether the resource is likely to contribute to current knowledge of the

history of the period in question. Because research issues change as the knowledge base increases,

consultation with LPC is recommended in determining significance of potential resources.

For prehistoric archaeological resources, research cannot directly determine prehistoric use of the

site. Rather, it is used to predict the likelihood of prehistoric use. Any identified potential for pre-

historic archaeological resources is considered significant at the initial, research level, since few pre-

historic sites have been documented in New York City.

For archaeological resources of the historic period, archival research can ascertain the history of uses

on the site and their potential significance. Examples of uses currently of potential interest from the

historic period include:

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 Early landfilling techniques (relevant on sites within a few blocks of the current waterfront

through much of the City, where filling created new land surfaces in submerged areas).

 Buried derelict ships or hulls (relevant on similar sites to those of landfilling techniques; often

incorporated into the landfill as part of the fill-retaining structures).

 Any uses during the 17th and 18th centuries, including colonial and Federalist residences and

businesses, and Revolutionary War remains.

 19th century residences or workplaces where deposits containing refuse associated with oc-

cupants may be preserved. Such refuse can provide important information on consumer

preferences, differential access to consumer goods, diet, and other topics of current research

interest. Remains related to house-lot infrastructure, including wells, cisterns, and privies,

may have research potential in that they provide information about access to services and

public health issues during the period before public utilities were available to residents; such

features also often contain significant domestic refuse deposits. Residences constructed af-

ter City services (water and sewer) were available are generally not considered archae-

ologically significant. For residences that predate extension of urban services that continued

to be used after City water and sewer were available, the archival phase may involve collect-

ing information about the occupants through such sources as early deeds, tax records, and

census lists. On the other hand, if the archival phase demonstrates that no potentially signif-

icant uses were located on the site, this additional research may not be necessary.

CONCLUSIONS ABOUT POTENTIAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL SENSITIVITY OF SITE

Based on the information provided in steps 1 through 5, above, the lead agency can draw conclusions

as to the potential archaeological sensitivity of the site. Consultation with LPC as early as possible is

recommended for this evaluation. If past uses may have left remains on the site that were not later

disturbed, and if these remains may be important according to the National Register criteria for eligi-

bility (see Subsection 161, above), then the site may host significant archaeological resources, or may

be archaeologically "sensitive." The locations of potential sensitivity should be pinpointed as much as

possible. The effects on those potential resources are then assessed (see Section 420, below).

If no known or potential archaeological resources are identified on the site, consideration of archaeo-

logical resources is complete. If resources were identified, the project's effects on those resources

must be evaluated (see Section 410, below). LPC should be consulted in this evaluation as early as

possible because it is the only city agency that has an archaeologist on staff.

321.3. Future No-Action Condition

To assess the future No-Action condition, consider and note whether any changes to the existing and

potential archaeological resources (identified above in Subsections 321.1 and 321.2) are likely to oc-

cur in the future without the project.

321.4. Future With-Action Condition

The proposed project's effects on any designated or potential archaeological resources identified

above in Subsections 321.1 and 321.2 are then analyzed in the With-Action condition. The assess-

ment specifically considers whether the project may result in disturbance or destruction of those ar-

chaeological resources.

322. Architectural Resources

322.1. Identifying Known Resources

As described in Section 160, designated architectural resources include (1) designated New York City

landmarks, interior landmarks, and scenic landmarks, and properties within designated New York City

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landmark historic districts; (2) properties calendared for consideration as one of the above by the

New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission; (3) properties listed on or formally determined

eligible for inclusion on the State and/or National Register of Historic Places, or contained within a

district listed on or formally determined eligible for the State and/or National Register of Historic

Places; (4) National Historic Landmarks; and (5) properties recommended by the New York State

Board for Historic Preservation for listing on the State and/or National Registers of Historic Places.

The information on listed resources is available from LPC and the New York State Office of Parks, Rec-

reation and Historic Preservation.

If any listed historic resources are located in the study area, then further analysis of the project's im-

pact on these resources must be performed. In addition, whether or not the study area includes any

listed resources, potential resources should be investigated.

322.2. Identifying Potential Resources

Any potentially eligible architectural resources that may be affected by the project should be identi-

fied. Identification of potential historic resources requires some knowledge of an area's history, the

broad patterns of historical development in New York City, and the various architectural styles repre-

sented in the City. Therefore, the lead agency should consult with LPC for assistance in making de-

terminations of eligibility on the basis of federal, state, and local criteria. Architectural resources are

usually identified through a combination of field surveys and documentary research. It should be

noted that the passage of time or changing perceptions of significance may justify reevaluation of

properties that were previously determined ineligible for the State and/or National Register or for

designation as New York City landmarks or historic districts. Records and documentation of this re-

search effort should be prepared for the lead agency's files or for submission to the reviewing agen-

cy, if appropriate.

As described in Section 100, above, historic resources are considered significant if they meet the cri-

teria for eligibility for the National Register, established by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, or crite-

ria for local designation set forth in the New York City Landmarks Law. Efforts to identify potential

architectural resources generally follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for

Archeology and Historic Preservation and the criteria of the New York City Landmarks Law. The Na-

tional Register and the New York City Landmarks Law’s criteria, described in Subsection 161, are then

applied to determine if these potential resources may be eligible for the National Register or for local

designation by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. This methodology is summarized below.

More information on surveying historic resources and applying the National Register criteria is avail-

able in the federal regulations and in numerous bulletins published by the National Park Service at

www.nps.gov/history and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation at www.achp.gov.

FIELD SURVEY

The survey for unidentified resources begins with field inspection of the study area, including the pro-

ject site. During this inspection, structures that appear to have particular cultural, architectural, or

historical distinction are identified. This survey requires careful judgment and knowledge about cur-

rent perceptions of significance and about the history and architecture of New York City. Consulta-

tion with LPC or SHPO is encouraged.

RESEARCH

Documentary research of resources' historical and cultural significance is often needed to supple-

ment visual inspections. An assessment of the development history of the study area before field

surveys are performed helps identify resources in the area; a post-field survey analysis may provide

additional information about any specific resources identified. For example, this information may be

used to ascertain a property's association with important events or persons, or its architect and date

of construction. A scan of historic records, maps, and photographs is also useful for determining the

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property's integrity: alterations and changes may be traced through the use of these documents.

The information needed to evaluate significance depends on the property's history and reason for

significance. The following information can assist in determining significance:

 Historically significant events and/or patterns of activity associated with the property.

 Periods of time during which the property was in use.

 Specific dates or periods of time when the resource achieved its importance (e.g., date of

construction, date of a specific event, period of association with an important person, period

of an important activity).

 Information about any alterations.

 Historically significant persons associated with the property (e.g., its tenants, visitors, or

owner).

 Representation of a style, period, or method of construction.

 Persons responsible for the design or construction of the property (e.g., architect, builder).

 Quality of style, design, workmanship, or materials.

 Historically or culturally significant group associated with the property and the nature of its

association.

 Information the property has yielded or may be likely to yield.

DOCUMENTATION

For any properties in the study area that appear to be important, information provided should be suf-

ficient to enable the lead agency or coordinating agencies (LPC and/or SHPO) to make a decision con-

cerning the significance of the resources using National Register and local landmarks criteria.

For all potentially important resources, the date or approximate date of construction, the name of

the architect or builder, the architectural style, and the approximate dates of alterations to the re-

source should be provided to the lead and interested agencies when possible. Depending on the rea-

sons for importance, additional information should also be provided. Maps indicating the location of

the resource(s) and black-and-white photographs of the resources are also helpful. For historically

important resources, this includes any available information about that history, such as important oc-

cupants or events. For architecturally important resources, all those design elements that contribute

to the building or structure's architectural importance should be noted. For example, for a building

that may be a fine representation of the Gothic Revival style, those features for which that style is

known—such as pointed gables, steep roof pitch, and board and batten siding—should be docu-

mented. Features that may contribute to a resource's value, and therefore should be noted, may in-

clude the following:

 Type of structure (e.g., dwelling, church, shop, apartment building).

 Building placement (detached, row, flush to the street, set back, etc.).

 General characteristics, including overall shape of plan (rectangle, side hall, center hall),

number of stories, structural system, number of vertical divisions or bays, construction mate-

rials (e.g., brick, stone, poured concrete), wall finish (e.g., kind of bond, coursing, shingle,

half-timber), and roof shape.

 Specific features, including location, number, and appearance of porches (e.g., stoops, porte-

cocheres), windows, doors, chimneys, and dormers.

 Materials of roof, foundation, walls, and other structural features.

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 Important exterior decorative elements (facades, lintels, cornices, etc.).

 Interior features that contribute to the character of the building or that may possess signifi-

cance independent of the value of the exterior of the building.

 Number, type, and location of outbuildings or dependencies.

 Important features of the immediate environment, including proximity to the street or side-

walk, landscaping, and views.

For potential historic districts, in addition to the information considered for individual resources, oth-

er considerations include the qualities that give the district coherence distinct from its surroundings,

the boundaries of the district, the individual or groups of buildings that contribute to the character of

the district, and the buildings or structures that detract from or diminish its coherence. Therefore,

descriptions of potential districts may also include the following types of information:

 General description of the natural and manmade elements of the district including struc-

tures, buildings, sites, objects, prominent geographical features, density, and landscaping.

 Numbers of buildings, structures, sites, and objects that contribute to the character of the

proposed district, and those that do not contribute to, or may detract from, it.

 General description of types, styles, or periods of architecture represented in the district, in-

cluding scale, proportions, materials, color, decoration, workmanship, and design.

 General description of physical relationships of the buildings to each other and to the physi-

cal environment, including facade lines, street plans, parks, squares, open spaces, density,

landscaping, roof lines, and massing.

 General description of the district during the period or periods in which it achieved signifi-

cance.

 Current and original uses of buildings and any adaptive uses.

 General description of the existing condition of buildings, restoration or rehabilitation activi-

ties, and alterations.

 Qualities that make the district distinct from its surroundings, including intangible character-

istics such as socioeconomic or ethnic affiliations of the residents.

 Description of the qualities that give the district its special character or special historical or

aesthetic interest or value.

 Description of the period or style of architecture represented by the district.

CONCLUSIONS ABOUT UNKNOWN ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES

Based on the information gathered in the steps above, the lead agency determines whether any pre-

viously unidentified architectural resources are located in the study area. If the lead agency uses an

environmental or architectural consultant, the consultant conducting the assessment should meet

the professional standards set forth in the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines “Pro-

fessional Qualifications Standards” (see 48 FR 44716, September, 1983). A private applicant or agency

can make a preliminary assessment of potential importance, but the final recommendation under

CEQR is made by LPC as the local expert agency, which also possesses additional proficiency by

means of its Certified Local Government (CLG) status under Section 106 of the National Historic

Preservation Act.

If potential architectural resources are identified, the project's effects on those resources must be as-

sessed (see Section 420, below). This involves considering the future No-Action condition (Subsec-

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tion 322.3, below) and With-Action conditions (Subsection 322.4). If no known or potential resources

were identified, the evaluation of architectural resources is complete, and no further historic and cul-

tural resources assessment is needed.

322.3. Future No-Action Condition

To assess the future No-Action condition, consider whether any changes to the existing or eligible ar-

chitectural resources (identified in Subsections 322.1 and 322.2) are likely to occur without the pro-

posed project. These changes may be physical (e.g., demolition, alteration), visual (e.g., changes to

the resource's setting or context), or historical (e.g., change in use that affects its context).

322.4. Future With-Action Condition

The proposed project's effects on any designated or potential architectural resources identified in

Subsections 322.1 and 322.2 are then assessed in the future With-Action condition. The analysis con-

siders the potential for physical and contextual effects on those resources. In the assessment of con-

textual effects, the appearance of any proposed new structures may be important (See Subsection

420).

Federal regulations, which have become a widely recognized standard, define an adverse effect as the introduction of

tangible and intangible elements that compromise or diminish the characteristics for which an historic or cultural re-

source has been determined significant. The project's effects on resources should be compared with the future No-

Action conditions to assess impacts. Thus, impact assessment is directly related to the proposed project and how it

would affect the distinguishing characteristics of any resources identified. The assessment asks three major questions:

(1) would there be a physical change to the property?; (2) would there be a physical change to its setting, such as con-

text or visual prominence (also known as indirect impacts)?; and (3) if there would be a physical change to the property

or setting, is the change likely to alter or eliminate the significant characteristics of the resource that make it im-

portant? Put another way, if not for this project, would there be an impact on historic resources? Impacts may result

from both temporary (e.g., related to the construction process) and permanent (e.g., related to the long-term or per-

manent result of the proposed project or construction project) activities. The lead agency should consult with LPC (for

New York City landmarks) and/or the SHPO (for State or National Register resources) in making this determination.

Section 700, below, provides more information on the regulations governing designated resources.

410. ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES

Significant adverse impacts on archaeological resources are physical—disturbance or destruction—and typically

occur as a result of construction activities. If any potential significant archaeological resources were identified on

the site of the proposed project (Subsection 321.2, above), and the project may disturb or destroy those re-

sources in any way, a significant adverse impact would occur. Possible impacts may occur under the following cir-

cumstances:

 Construction resulting in ground disturbance, including construction of temporary roads and access fa-

cilities, grading, landscaping; or

 Below-ground construction, such as excavation or installation of utilities.

If a project does not have a physical impact on archaeological resources, no significant adverse impact would oc-

cur, and no further archaeological work is necessary.

420. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES

Assessment of the magnitude of the impact is a matter of informed judgment, based on the proposed project and

the reasons for which a resource was determined important. If the project would affect those characteristics that

make a resource eligible for listing on the State and/or National Register or for New York City designation, this

400. DETERMINING IMPACT SIGNIFICANCE

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would most likely be a significant adverse impact. Most important are the characteristics of association and in-

tegrity, described in Subsection 161, above.

Possible impacts to architectural resources may include the following:

 Physical destruction, demolition, damage, alteration, or neglect of all or part of an historic property. For

example, alterations that would add a new wing to an historic building or replacement of the resource's en-

trance may result in adverse impacts, depending on the design.

 Changes to the architectural resource that cause it to become a different visual entity, such as a new loca-

tion, design, materials, or architectural features. An example would be recladding an architectural re-

source with new brickwork.

 Isolation of the property from, or alteration of, its setting or visual relationships with the streetscape. This

includes changes to the resource's visual prominence so that it no longer conforms to the streetscape in

terms of height, footprint, or setback; is no longer part of an open setting; or can no longer be seen as part

of a significant view corridor. For example, if all the buildings on a block, including an architectural re-

source, are four stories high, and a proposed project would replace most of those with a 15-story structure,

the four-story architectural resource would no longer conform to the streetscape. Another example would

be a proposed project that would result in a new building at the end of a street so that views of an historic

park beyond were blocked.

 Introduction of incompatible visual, audible, or atmospheric elements to a resource's setting. An example

would be construction of a noisy highway or factory near a resource noted for its quiet, such as a park.

 Replication of aspects of the resource so as to create a false historical appearance. If a house was built dur-

ing the Revolutionary War but later underwent extensive alteration, re-creation of its 18

-century appear-

ance may have an adverse impact on that resource.

 Elimination or screening of publicly accessible views of the resource. For example, if a resource is located

along the waterfront and is visible across the water, tall new buildings proposed between the architectural

resource and the water that would block views of the resource may result in an adverse impact.

 Construction-related impacts, such as falling objects, vibration (particularly from blasting or pile-driving),

dewatering, flooding, subsidence, or collapse. Such impacts may occur to an architectural resource adja-

cent to a construction site if adequate precautions are not taken.

 Introduction of significant new shadows, or significant lengthening of the duration of existing shadows,

over an historic landscape or on an historic structure (if the features that make the resource significant de-

pend on sunlight) to the extent that the architectural details that distinguish that resource as significant are

obscured. For example, if a resource is noted for its stained glass windows, and those windows are only

visible in the sunlight, significant blocking of that sunlight may result in a significant adverse impact. For

more information, see Chapter 8, “Shadows.”

Mitigation measures for historic resources are based on the nature of the impact as well as the significant attributes of

the historic resource at risk. They are developed on a case-by-case basis; typical measures are described below. Con-

sultation with LPC and/or SHPO on designing mitigation measures is required when significant impacts occur to archi-

tectural or archaeological resources.

500. DEVELOPING MITIGATION

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510. ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES

511. Human Remains

LPC regulates all work (including subsurface work) in the African Burial Ground and The Commons Historic

District and within landmarked cemeteries. The protocols for work within these areas are prescribed in LPC’s

2002 The Guidelines for Archaeological Work in New York City. It is a general principle of these protocols that

every effort be made to ensure that burials will not be disturbed and, in the event that burials are found in

these areas, they be preserved in place.

For work outside these landmarked areas, but within an area thought to contain human remains, LPC shall be

consulted to develop appropriate methodologies. For work within private cemeteries, the State Division of

Cemeteries must be contacted about relevant regulations.

If unexpected human remains are encountered during any phase of work on any site, all construction work

must cease and the police and medical examiner must be contacted immediately.

512. Redesign

To mitigate a project's significant adverse impact on potential archaeological resources, the project may be

redesigned so that it does not disturb the resources. For example, if potential resources may be located only

in one corner of the site, that corner may be left undeveloped.

513. Fieldwork

Often, only the potential for significant prehistoric or historic archaeological resources is established when de-

termining a project's impacts. Mitigation of significant adverse impacts on potential resources often calls for

archaeological testing to determine whether archaeological resources are, in fact, present. If any such re-

sources are found, archaeological testing may also be used to determine their extent and significance.

If this testing program indicates that significant resources are present, further measures are required. These

are either the avoidance of the resource through redesign (see Subsection 512), or mitigation through data

recovery (see Subsection 514). For example, if an archaeological site is located at the periphery of the con-

struction area and may be disturbed during construction staging activities but not by the project itself, then

enclosing the site with temporary fencing and adjusting the construction program to avoid the site may be

sufficient. If avoidance is not feasible, then a data recovery program is implemented (see Subsection 514).

Field testing is done by scientifically examining the subsurface conditions through borings, small hand exca-

vated trenches, or mechanical excavation. The type of testing that should be used is dependent upon site

conditions and the type of resource. The testing must be supervised by a professional archaeologist who is

registered by the Register of Professional Archaeologists, and/or qualified for such registration. The ar-

chaeologist should submit a scope of work to the lead agency and LPC for review and approval before any

work may be undertaken. This document sets forth how the work will be accomplished and what tests the

potential resources should meet to be considered significant. If artifacts are uncovered, the archaeologist

must stabilize and analyze them. The archaeologist is required to submit a report outlining his or her find-

ings, including: site plans detailing where the work was undertaken; an explanation of what any analysis

yielded; and a discussion about whether significant, or potentially significant, resources were encountered.

Artifacts recovered from such sites must be stabilized and deposited in an appropriate repository as ex-

plained in Subsection 515. If the study concludes that no archaeological resources are present or significant,

no further work is needed. The lead agency consults with LPC for assistance in reviewing and approving the

field testing report.

If the preliminary determination of the site's potential sensitivity and the project's potential for significant im-

pact is made through an Environmental Assessment Statement, and if field research is determined to be ap-

propriate mitigation, a Conditional Negative Declaration may be appropriate or the project description may

be altered, to provide for necessary field research to be conducted concurrently with or subsequent to envi-

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ronmental review, but prior to site disturbance. However, a Conditional Negative Declaration may not be

used if the affected resource is designated, calendared for designation, listed on or formally determined eligi-

ble for inclusion on the Registers, recommended by the New York State Board for such listing, or a National

Historic Landmark (See Chapter 1, “Procedures and Documentation,” for a discussion of Conditional Negative

Declarations and Type I actions).

514. Excavation

When avoidance of significant archaeological resources is not an option, then a data recovery program is ap-

propriate mitigation. As the value or significance of the archaeological resource relates to its potential to pro-

vide important information, the adverse effects of the project on the resource are considered mitigated when

the information has been recovered through systematic archaeological investigation. The process is similar to

that of testing. The lead agency reviews and approves the scope of work after consultation with LPC. This

document specifies the level of field effort, identifies the research issues, details the treatment of artifacts,

and outlines the content of the final report. For guidance please see LPC’s 2002 “The Guidelines for Archaeo-

logical Work in New York City.”

Once the fieldwork has been completed, the archaeologist must stabilize and analyze the artifacts in accord-

ance with professional standards. The archaeologist should submit a final report to the lead agency for re-

view and approval after consultation with the LPC. This document: summarizes the significance of what was

found; provides detailed descriptions of all excavation work area by area; describes laboratory techniques;

outlines the analysis; and synthesizes all analysis undertaken. Mitigation is not considered to be complete un-

til the final report has been reviewed and approved and the artifacts are curated in an appropriate repository

(see Subsection 515).

515. Repositories

Artifacts recovered from significant archaeological sites should be curated in an appropriate repository. The

City of New York does not currently maintain an archaeological repository. Artifacts should be curated in an

appropriate facility that will curate the artifact collection to professional standards and make it available to

researchers. Please see LPC’s 2002 “The Guidelines for Archaeological Work in New York City” for guidance.

520. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES

Possible mitigation measures for significant adverse effects on architectural resources include redesign; adaptive

reuse; protective measures, including construction monitoring; and, as a last resort, documentation or relocation.

521. Redesign

This is the preferred mitigation measure for significant impacts on historic resources. Redesign techniques

are devised in consultation with the appropriate consulting agency (LPC and/or SHPO).

521.1. Relocating the Project

This mitigation measure involves avoiding the resource altogether by moving the proposed project

away from the resource. When the relocated project would remain close to the architectural resource,

this mitigation also calls for sympathetic contextual design of the redesigned project (see the discus-

sion below under Subsection 521.2).

521.2. Contextual Redesign

When a proposed project would alter the setting of an architectural resource that is not physically af-

fected, appropriate mitigation involves redesign of the proposal to be more compatible with the re-

source. This is a function of the distinguishing characteristics of the resource and the magnitude of

impact. Possibilities include rearranging the proposed building's massing so that important views are

not blocked or adding design elements that complement or echo the features of the architectural re-

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sources. New design should be compatible with the size, scale, color, material, and character of the

property, neighborhood, street wall, or environment. Particular attention to fenestration, setbacks,

roof lines, and massing of the new structure as well as other aspects of design is advised. The new

building should be clearly distinguishable from, although compatible with, the existing historic prop-

erty.

An example of sympathetic design with an existing architectural resource is Carnegie Hall Tower, de-

signed to be sympathetic to historic Carnegie Hall. The tower, immediately east of the original build-

ing, is clad in the same color brick, and through its decorative treatment of the facade, doorways, and

fenestration, echoes the organization of the adjacent marquee and grand entrance to the concert

hall. Horizontal bands of brick and stucco extend the horizontal lines of the old building to the new,

but a very narrow separation distinguishes the old building from the new. The platform of the new

building is level with the roofline of the original eight-story hall, and the tower is set back from the

street.

521.3 Adaptive Reuse

Redesign can include incorporating the resource into the project rather than demolishing it. This is

known as "adaptive reuse." Adaptive reuse is the fitting of new requirements, functions, or uses into

an existing historic space. It is acceptable only if it does not affect the structure or character of the his-

toric resource. Adaptive reuse is common in New York City. Successful adaptive reuse projects in New

York include the Puck Building on Lafayette Street and Jefferson Market Library in Greenwich Village.

When adaptive reuse involves repairs or alterations to the historic resource, distinctive stylistic fea-

tures should be treated with sensitivity so that the form and integrity of the historic structure is not

materially affected by the new construction. Repair of the original is always preferred. When re-

placement is necessary, the new material should match the material being replaced in composition,

design, color, texture, and other visual qualities. Replacement or repair should be an accurate duplica-

tion of the original, based on evidence (e.g., historic photographs, blueprints) and not on conjectural

designs or availability of different architectural elements from other buildings and structures (refer to

the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic

Buildings, available from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Preservation Assis-

tance Division—see Subsection 732.3, below).

522. Construction Protection Plan

A construction protection plan should be used to protect historic resources that may be affected by construc-

tion activities related to a proposed project. The plan should be developed in coordination with the ap-

propriate consulting agency (LPC and/or SHPO) and fulfilled by a foundation and structural engineer. Ele-

ments of the plan may include the following:

 Borings and soil reports of the water table establishing composition, stability, and condition;

 Existing foundation and structural condition information and documentation for the historic property;

 Formulation of maximum vibration tolerances based on impact, duration and other considerations us-

ing accepted engineering standards for old buildings;

 Dewatering procedures, including systematic monitoring and recharging systems;

 Protection from falling objects and party wall exposure; and

 Monitoring during construction using tell-tales, seismographic equipment, and horizontal and lateral

movement scales.

Reference should also be made to “New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission Guidelines for Con-

struction Adjacent to a Historic Landmark,” “Protection Programs for Landmark Buildings” (both on file with

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LPC) and “Technical Policy and Procedures Notice No. 10/88, Procedures for the Avoidance of Damage to His-

toric Structures Resulting from Adjacent Construction” (on file with the New York City Department of Build-

ings). Additional reference documents that may prove helpful include “The Secretary of the Interior’s Stand-

ards for Blasting,” by Michael Lynch, on file at SHPO and LPC; and “Protecting a Historic Structure During Ad-

jacent Construction,” by Chad Randl.

523. Data Recovery

For projects that involve significant alterations or demolition of historic resources for which other mitigation

measures are not feasible, data recovery or recordation of historic structures is the last resort. This measure is

not usually considered full mitigation for New York City landmarks or for properties calendared for considera-

tion as landmarks. Data recovery mitigation typically requires coordination with LPC and/or SHPO. Demoli-

tion of a New York City Landmark requires LPC approval prior to any demolition work. In addition, LPC must

approve the proposed scope of work for Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) recordation prior to any

demolition work.

Recordation projects typically follow agreed-upon standards, such as those established by the HABS or Histor-

ic American Engineering Record (HAER). These are documentation programs administered by the National

Park Service. Recordation projects frequently select these programs since they provide a uniform and widely

accepted standard for the documentation, monitored by professional staff, and resulting in materials that are

then housed at the Library of Congress, where they are accessible to a broad range of researchers. The result-

ing documentation comprises a verbal description of the interior and exterior of the building(s); a discussion

of the historical development of the resource and its context, including significant alterations to it; measured

drawings (site plan, elevations, interior plans, etc.); and a series of large format black-and-white photographs

illustrating the existing structure. Text, drawings, and photographs are submitted on archivally stable mate-

rials following a prescribed format. Guidance is available from the National Park Service, Mid-Atlantic Re-

gional Office in Philadelphia.

524. Relocating Architectural Resources

This measure is the least preferred of all mitigation measures for standing structures, and is typically consid-

ered when there is no other prudent or feasible alternative, because it can have significant adverse impacts

on the resource as well. Relocation may endanger the resource and, by removing it from its original context

and setting, may threaten its integrity and the reasons for its significance. As noted earlier, relocated re-

sources are not normally accepted for listing on the State and/or National Register. Relocation of historic re-

sources cannot be undertaken without a permit from LPC (for designated New York City landmarks or proper-

ties in historic districts) and consultation with SHPO, and/or the Federal Advisory Council on Historic Preserva-

tion.

According to guidelines issued by the Federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, historic properties

that are movable by their nature (e.g., ships or machinery) can normally be moved to avoid project impacts

on them without adverse effect, unless their current location is historically or culturally significant, their struc-

tural integrity would be impaired by the relocation, or their new location would make them vulnerable to de-

terioration or damage.

610. ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES

Alternatives that reduce or avoid impacts on archaeological resources are those that would allow the archaeolog-

ical resource to remain in place, undisturbed and undestroyed. Any project alternative that achieved this result is

suitable. Most often, these alternatives include relocation of any proposed excavation or other activity to another

part of the site, or to another site altogether.

600. DEVELOPING ALTERNATIVES

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620. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES

Alternatives for significant adverse impacts on architectural resources typically involve incorporation of some of

the mitigation measures described above. These include relocating the project, or redesigning the project in a

more contextual manner. Often, smaller projects or projects redesigned to incorporate different massing, scale,

material, or other design characteristics may be appropriate alternatives. Coordination with LPC may be helpful in

identifying appropriate alternatives.

710. REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS

711. Federal Regulations

711.1. National Historic Preservation Act of 1966

If the project also falls within federal jurisdiction (that is, it is federally funded, licensed, or regulated),

then the requirements of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (NHPA), and

implemented by procedures set forth in 36 CFR Part 800 (Protection of Historic Properties), apply.

Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) requires federal agencies to take into

account the effects that their federal permits or federally funded activities and programs have on

significant historic properties and to give the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation a reasonable

opportunity to comment. "Significant historic properties" are those properties that are included in, or

eligible for, the National Register of Historic Places. The federal agency coordinates with the State

Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) and any other appropriate consulting parties—such as the local

government, the applicant for a permit, and the interested public. The federal agency, in consulta-

tion with all other consulting parties, assesses the potential adverse impacts of the federal action on

the historic property. The consultation process usually results in a Memorandum of Agreement be-

tween the Federal agency and the consulting parties that outline agreed-upon measures that the

federal agency will take to avoid, minimize, or mitigate the adverse effects of its action. This process

may run concurrently with any environmental review conducted pursuant to NEPA, SEQRA, or CEQR.

In addition, Section 111 of the NHPA mandates that federal agencies may lease and exchange historic

properties and enter into contracts for the management of historic properties only after the agencies

determine that the lease, exchange, or management contract will adequately ensure the preserva-

tion of the historic property.

711.2. Federal Department of Transportation Act

Other regulations that can apply include Section 4(f) of the Federal Department of Transportation Act

of 1966 (DOTA), which applies to transportation projects (usually highways) funded by the Federal

Department of Transportation. This law requires the federal agency responsible for the project to

consider whether the project would infringe on publicly owned land or any site of national, state, or

local historic significance, as determined by the appropriate officials. Such an infringement can occur

only if there is no feasible and prudent alternative and if such program includes all possible planning

to minimize harm to such properties.

711.3. Other Federal Laws

In addition to the DOTA, other similar laws dealing with specific modes of transportation also require

protection of historic resources unless there is no feasible and prudent alternative and unless all pos-

sible minimization of harm is planned. These include the Airport and Airway Development Act of

1970, the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1968, and the Urban Mass Transit Act.

700. REGULATIONS AND COORDINATION

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In addition to all of the federal protections described above, archaeological resources are given spe-

cial protection under the Archaeological Resource Protection Act of 1979. This act regulates the tak-

ing of archaeological resources on federal land. Other federal protections for archaeological re-

sources are provided by the Historic Sites Act of 1935, the Antiquities Act of 1906, the Archaeological

Recovery Act, the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and the Abandoned Shipwreck Act of

1987. Finally, the National American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 includes a pro-

cess for museums and federal agencies to return certain Native American cultural items -- human

remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony -- to lineal descendants,

and culturally affiliated Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations. It includes provisions for un-

claimed and culturally unidentifiable Native American cultural items, intentional and inadvertent dis-

covery of Native American cultural items on Federal and tribal lands.

712. State Regulations

For projects within state jurisdiction (it is funded, licensed, or regulated by a state agency), Article 14 of the

New York State Historic Preservation Act of 1980 (SHPA) applies. This law requires that state agencies avoid

or mitigate any significant adverse impacts on historic properties to the fullest extent practicable, feasible,

and prudent. These requirements are the same as those of the State Environmental Quality Review Act, or

SEQRA. The SHPA mandates consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office (see discussion on coor-

dination, below).

713. City Regulations

The New York City Landmarks Law establishes LPC and gives it the authority to designate landmarks, interior

landmarks, scenic landmarks, and historic districts, and to regulate any construction, reconstruction, alter-

ation, or demolition of such landmarks and districts. Under the Landmarks Law, no new construction, altera-

tion, reconstruction, or demolition can take place on landmarks, landmark sites, or within designated New

York City historic districts until the LPC has issued a Certificate of No Effect on protected architectural fea-

tures, Certificate of Appropriateness, or Permit of Minor Work. Projects reviewed under CEQR that physically

affect Landmarks or properties within New York City historic districts require mandatory review by LPC, in the

case of private properties, and approval of LPC, in the case of certain City property. See N.Y.C. Admin. Code §

25-300 et. seq. for further information.

Both private applicants and public agencies must apply to LPC for any work on designated structures, desig-

nated sites, or structures within historic districts. The LPC issues permits to private applicants and reports to

public agencies. No work on these protected resources may proceed prior to the issuance of a Landmarks

Preservation Commission permit or report.

720. APPLICABLE COORDINATION

Applicable coordination ultimately depends upon the following factors: the type of resource involved (Federal or

City listed or eligible), the oversight legislation involved (Federal, State, and/or City), and the relationship among

multiple agencies in the cases of large scale actions (such as Citywide actions or actions requiring a number of

funding sources or discretionary approvals). The lead agency is the primary agency responsible for coordination.

Examples of such types of coordination are listed below.

 When designated New York City landmarks, properties already calendared for designation, or identified

properties eligible for LPC designation may be affected by a project, the lead agency coordinates with LPC.

 When properties listed on, or determined eligible for, the State and/or National Registers, recommended

by the New York State Board for listing on the Registers, or National Historic Landmarks are involved, the

lead agency coordinates with either LPC or SHPO, depending upon whether it is a Federal, State, or City ac-

tion. The final determination of eligibility and/or treatment rests with the SHPO if it is a Federal or State

action, and LPC if it is a CEQR action.

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 In some cases, it is possible that coordination with both LPC and SHPO may be required. For example, some

large scale projects involve Federal, State and City agencies and a number of discretionary actions. In this

case, the SHPO would be the expert agency responsible for identification and treatment of State and Na-

tional Register listed properties. LPC would be the expert agency responsible for identifying LPC designat-

ed and eligible properties. LPC also consults with the appropriate Federal, State and City agencies involved

with the project regarding treatment of LPC eligible properties. When consultation with the Advisory

Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) is part of the project, SHPO is responsible for overall coordination

with the ACHP; however if LPC is a consulting party to a Federal action, LPC comments are considered sep-

arately from those of SHPO.

 Occasionally a lead and/or expert agency or a member of the public will request comments from SHPO on

projects undergoing CEQR review. As a matter of policy, SHPO only consults informally and verbally on

these actions and typically defers to the LPC.

730. LOCATION OF INFORMATION

731. Expert Agencies

New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission

One Centre Street

9th Floor North

New York, NY 10007

www.nyc.gov/landmarks

Files on properties that have been designated New York City landmarks or listed on the State and

National Registers of Historic Places, and on the location of known archaeological sites in the City.

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

Historic Preservation Field Service Bureau

Peebles Island

Box 189

Waterford, NY 12188-0189

http://nysparks.state.ny.us/shpo/

Information about properties listed on or determined eligible for listing on the State and/or Na-

tional Registers of Historic Places, as well as the location of known archaeological sites in the State.

http://www.nysparks.com/shpo/environmental-review/

Information on the OPRHP’s Environmental Review program and the review of projects that involve

state or federal actions.

732. Other Resources

When a survey is appropriate to identify unknown potential historic resources, useful sources can include lo-

cal academic institutions and museums (such as the Museum of the City of New York), historical societies

(such as the New York Historical Society, the Bronx County Historical Society, the Brooklyn Historical Society,

the Queens Historical Society, and the Staten Island Historical Society), and the City's public libraries. Both

LPC and the SHPO should be consulted regarding the likelihood that a site contains archaeological resources.

Sources for detailed historical research include historic maps, which can be found at the New York Public Li-

brary, 42nd Street Branch, and the libraries and historical societies that have already been listed. Deeds and

other land ownership records are housed at the various borough halls; Buildings Department records are also

located in each Buildings Department borough office. Tax records, 19th century Buildings Department re-

cords, and early plans and maps can be found at the Municipal Archives in Manhattan.

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732.1. Museums and Historical Societies

Museum of the City of New York

Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street

New York, NY 10029

http://www.mcny.org/

New York Historical Society

170 Central Park West

New York, NY 10024

https://www.nyhistory.org/web/

Bronx County Historical Society

3309 Bainbridge Avenue

Bronx, NY 10467

http://www.bronxhistoricalsociety.org/

Brooklyn Historical Society

128 Pierrepont Street

Brooklyn, NY 11201

http://www.brooklynhistory.org/default/index.html

Queens Historical Society

143-35 37th Avenue

Flushing, NY 11354

http://www.queenshistoricalsociety.org/

South Street Seaport Museum

207 Front Street

New York, NY 10038

http://www.southstreetseaportmuseum.org/

Staten Island Historical Society

441 Clarke Avenue

Richmondtown, Staten Island, NY 10306

http://www.historicrichmondtown.org/

732.2. Other Sources

New York City Municipal Archives

31 Chambers St.

New York, NY 10007

http://www.nyc.gov/html/records/html/about/archives.shtml

New York Public Library: http://www.nypl.org/

Brooklyn Public Library: http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/

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Queens Public Library: http://www.queenslibrary.org/

Local, community-based preservation groups

732.3. Publications

Publications that can be helpful in evaluating potential historic resources are available from the Na-

tional Register of Historic Places, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, P.O. Box

37127, Washington, DC 20013-7127. The Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Ar-

cheology and Historic Preservation (http://www.nps.gov/history/local-law/arch_stnds_0.htm) and the

Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Build-

ings (http://www.nps.gov/tps/standards/rehabilitation/sustainability-guidelines.pdf) can also be ob-

tained from the National Park Service.

732.4. Websites

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation: www.achp.gov

National Park Service, History and Cultural Division: www.nps.gov/history