The Interborough Rapid Transit Powerhouse at West 59th Street and 11th Avenue. Photos By Andrew Schwartz of the West Side Spirit

Preserve the Powerhouse!

The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission recently announced that on Tuesday, July 14, 2009, it will hold a public hearing to consider designating the former Interborough Rapid Transit Powerhouse as an Individual NYC Landmark.

The Powerhouse stands as a majestic symbol of the City Beautiful era, designed by Stanford White of McKim, Mead & White and constructed in 1904 to provide electricity for New York's first subway system. In all of its Beaux-Arts glory, it occupies a full block on the West Side of Manhattan (11th to 12th Avenues, 58th to 59th Streets), recalling such magnificent monuments as the New York Public Library (Carrere & Hastings, 1897-1911), the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1894-1902) and the late great Pennsylvania Station (McKim, Mead & White, 1910 - demolished in 1963).

Click here to visit the "Preserve the Powerhouse" website, see the growing list of supporters, read their testimonials, and - most importantly - Sign the Petition! Once you've added your name, please take a moment to send a letter to Landmarks Preservation Commission Chair Robert B. Tierney, reinforcing your support for landmark designation (see contact information below) . And mark your calendar for July 14!

Hon. Robert B. Tierney, Chair