How will you spend your Thanksgiving break?
In a unanimous decision made by the Landmarks Preservation Commission, the Greenwich Village Historic District was expanded 11 blocks last week.
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The new additions include the areas bounded by Sixth and Seventh avenues on the East and West and West Fourth and Bedford streets on the North and South.
Despite the new landmark designation, some community organizers were disappointed that several key historic landmarks, including the Poe House and Provincetown Theater, were left out of the deal.
"We understand that the Commission will seriously consider extending protection to more of the Village, and we hope that this happens quickly because time may mean more of our historic past lost to the wrecking ball," said Marilyn Dorato of the Greenwich Village Block Associations.
According to Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, only one third of the area proposed was included in the measure.
"We immediately launched a letter-writing campaign just after designation of the first phase of the South Village which has already generated scores of letters to the LPC," Berman said. Other community leaders said they are also hoping for the addition of more historical landmarks in the near future.
"We already passed a resolution on this a while ago asking for the full resolution," Bob Gormley Community Board 2 district manager said. "We're happy that it expanded and we think that it should be expanded beyond the proposed expansion."
But not everyone in the neighborhood sees the expansion as an important issue.
Freddy Lopez, general manager of Po Restaurant at 31 Cornelia Street, did not even know the building had received the historic distinction. He has worked at the building for three years. But after learning the news he said, "I feel great."
