14th street and union square preservation plan - Columbia ...

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
As first-year Historic Preservation students, our goal
in producing a Preservation Plan for Union Square
and 14 th Street: River to River, is to present our analysis
of the specific issues affecting the built fabric and the
community on 14 th Street and Union Square, and to
propose solutions for the preservation of historically
significant buildings and sites that respect and complement
the existing economic, political, and social character of
the area.
The Plan is the result of one year of intensive research
and thorough survey of the area’s history and conditions.
However, our investigation was not confined to the
built environment: we engaged in direct dialogue with
representatives from the various communities on
and around 14 th Street and Union Square in order to
better understand the non-physical forces that affect
preservation.
The intended audience for our Preservation Plan includes
the academic community in general, professionals who
have an interest in urban historic preservation, and, most
importantly, the constituents of 14 th Street and Union
Square. In addition to providing a significant depth of
new knowledge about New York City, the Plan seeks
to present a model for activism that addresses specific
preservation issues in a timely, practical, and accessible
way.
We have attempted to synthesize our idealism as historic
preservationists while recognizing the economic,
political, and social limitations of the present time. It is
our hope that future preservation students will reference
our Plan in their learning process; that the City of New
York will take note of the concerns highlighted by our
research and analysis; that our preservation goals will be
implemented by the City and other organizations; and
that the community of 14 th Street and Union Square will
be able to utilize our plan to their benefit.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
1