The IRT Powerhouse on 11th Avenue between 58th & 59th Streets

Save the IRT Powerhouse

Target:

The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission

Sponsored by:

The Hudson River Powerhouse Group is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the landmarking, restoration, and adaptive reuse of McKim Mead & White's IRT Powerhouse on 11th Avenue between 58th and 59th Streets. The HRPG focuses on educating the public about the history of the Powerhouse, gathering support for its landmarking, and nurturing creative designs for a reimagined Powerhouse of the 21st Century. The HRPG has asked the NYC Landmarks Preservation Comission to designate the Powerhouse a NYC landmark. By signing this petition, you're letting the LPC know that you support the landmarking of this amazing building too.

We write to urge the Landmarks Preservation Commission to designate the IRT Powerhouse a New York City Landmark.

The IRT Powerhouse is, even by New York City standards, an exceptional building, and it must be protected. The Powerhouse is historically significant as a monument to the creation of the New York City subway and the city's great industrial age. Completed in 1904 by the Interborough Rapid Transit Construction Company, the mammoth structure, occupying a full city block, housed the generators that provided electricity for the City's first subway system. Though it no longer serves this purpose, it did so faithfully for over 50 years. Presently, the building is owned and operated by Consolidated Edison for steam generation.

Equally important is the IRT Powerhouse's architectural significance. Stanford White of the world-renowned architectural firm, McKim Mead & White, was the chief designer. White executed the utilitarian structure in the Beaux Arts style drawing upon Renaissance prototypes. Though the buildings cornice has been removed, many of the building's most elaborate exterior details remain. The Powerhouse is a faithful example of the City Beautiful movement that swept through the United States at the turn of the nineteenth century.

Moreover, the building provides a welcome contrast to a neighborhood rapidly becoming a morass of glass and steel.

If the Landmarks Preservation Commission exists to safeguard the City's historic, aesthetic, and cultural heritage and encourage civic pride in the beauty and accomplishments of the past, then it exists to protect the IRT Powerhouse.

We urge you to designate this building a New York City landmark so that it might survive for another 100 years to once again serve the public.

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We signed the "Save the IRT Powerhouse" petition!

# 737:

1:59 pm PST, Nov 14, Alejandro Melguizo, New York
this could be an amazing indoor space for the city.

# 736:

6:58 pm PST, Nov 12, Darryl Cook, New York
This cause is important to uphold the integrity of what the Landmarks commission was created for.

# 735:

3:21 pm PST, Nov 12, Ash Carter, New York

# 734:

12:44 pm PST, Nov 7, Name not displayed, Ukraine

# 733:

8:28 am PST, Nov 6, Kyle S, New Jersey

# 732:

8:14 pm PST, Nov 5, Jeff Lamarca, New York
Part of what makes New York unique and appealing is its powerful architecture, much of it industrial. They just don't build like they used to. There is no pride in creating solid, beautiful buildings anymore - it's all about building as cheaply and quickly as possible, without regard for anything but profit margins. That's why it's so important to landmark buildings like the IRT Powerhouse. They are an essential part of New York City's identity and history. If buildings like this were being replaced by grand structures like Rockefeller Center, it would be a different story. But these days, buildings like the Powerhouse are like 2000 year-old redwoods: once they are gone, they cannot be replaced.

# 731:

8:22 pm PST, Nov 1, Ian Ratner, New York
Fantastic Facade by a Notable, Respected NY Architect!

# 730:

9:14 am PDT, Oct 31, Andrew Zarnett, New York

# 729:

9:05 am PDT, Oct 31, Speed Carroll, New York
We have destroyed far too much of our city's and country's built environments. Let's not make the same mistake with this fine old building. JSC

# 728:

8:30 am PDT, Oct 31, Martha Carroll, New York
I must say that as someone who has a doctorate in history of architecture from Columbia, I find it - dare I say "tragic" that New York's urban fabric not be enriched by the restoration and reuse of the Hudson River Powerhouse. Think of the marvelous Tate Modern museum in London. Think of the High Line. Could we possibly not take advantage of such a treasure? Martha Carroll

# 727:

11:08 pm PDT, Oct 30, Name not displayed, New York
Please ,we need to keep the beauty and structure of this bldg.It's our city and history. Remember Penn Station! How sad... Thank you.

# 726:

5:47 pm PDT, Oct 30, Pete Davies, New York
This magnificent building should be saved, adapted and re-used in a way that will create a magnet for the far western edge of Hells Kitchen / Upper West Side. Generations to come will thank us for doing so.

# 725:

2:55 pm PDT, Oct 30, Name not displayed, New York
Preservet he IRT Powerhouse as a landmark, please.

# 724:

11:32 am PDT, Oct 30, Samuel Brewster, New York

# 723:

11:02 am PDT, Oct 30, Adara Salim, New York

# 722:

10:13 am PDT, Oct 30, A. Landesman, New York

# 721:

2:11 pm PDT, Oct 29, Allison Siegel, New York

# 720:

1:18 pm PDT, Oct 27, Brett House, New York
By preserving the Powerhouse, the city has a chance to make good on past preservation battles lost (e.g., the old Penn Station). Let's not repeat past mistakes. Brett House

# 719:

12:24 pm PDT, Oct 27, Name not displayed, New Jersey

# 718:

11:11 am PDT, Oct 27, Name not displayed, New York

# 717:

10:41 am PDT, Oct 27, Name not displayed, New York
This extraordinary building carries with it the majestic feeling of a by gone era and embodies the essence of why so many travelers come to visit this city. Let’s not loose New York.

# 716:

10:23 am PDT, Oct 27, Bryan Hale, New York

# 715:

9:45 am PDT, Oct 27, Name not displayed, New York

# 714:

7:44 pm PDT, Oct 25, Drew Glick, New York

# 713:

2:29 pm PDT, Oct 25, Tristan Lestat, Alabama

# 712:

5:56 pm PDT, Oct 23, Stephen Frishauf, New York
When I attended the University o Illinois as an electrical engineering student between 1939 to 1941, we studied the IRT powerhouse as one of the wonders of early 20th Century electrical power engineering. It should be preserved for its historic importance

# 711:

3:15 pm PDT, Oct 23, Carole Hagen, Oregon

# 710:

9:53 am PDT, Oct 21, Name not displayed, New York

# 709:

12:22 pm PDT, Oct 20, Name not displayed, New York
America needs to hold onto more of it's history... please keep the powerhouse!!

# 708:

11:14 am PDT, Oct 20, Carrie Salter, New York

# 707:

2:31 pm PDT, Oct 16, Noble Black, New York

# 706:

9:45 am PDT, Oct 16, Anne Weisberg, New York
This building is the soul of the neighborhood. Many new residential and other buildings have gone up around it, but none has the charm, dignity and interest of this building. It is not only beautiful and unique, but it has the potential to be at the center of a new gateway into Manhattan, given Metro North's interest in building a station in the area and possible ferry routes. It's preservation should be guaranteed, Anne

# 705:

9:11 am PDT, Oct 16, Name not displayed, New York

# 704:

9:09 am PDT, Oct 16, Name not displayed, New York

# 703:

8:43 pm PDT, Oct 15, Roy Frenzke, New Jersey
Please demonstrate that vandals like those who demolished Penn Station no longer hold sway in New York. Save the IRT Powerhouse.

# 702:

2:57 pm PDT, Oct 15, Regis Duval, New York

# 701:

2:20 pm PDT, Oct 13, Marta Black, New York
It is vitally important to retain this connection with history and to give our neighborhood a sense of personality and a possiblity for more cultural access.

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