LPC Commissioner Gene A. Norman (Left) with former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis testifying in 1984 to protect the New York Landmarks Law.
Preservation legend Gene A. Norman passed away last night at home following an illness, said his wife Juanita. Gene served the city well as LPC Commissioner and actions taken during his tenure have protected scores of landmarks city-wide, from the beloved Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum by Frank Lloyd Wright to the New York Central building at the foot of Park Avenue. The breadth and range is inspiring, but the Upper West Side in particular owes Gene Norman a debt of gratitude.
Under Gene’s leadership, the Upper West Side received valuable protections for five historic districts: The West End-Collegiate Historic District (1/3/1984), The Riverside Drive-West 80th-81st Streets Historic District (3/26/1985), West 71st Street Historic District (8/29/1989), The Riverside-West End Historic District (12/19/1989) and our namesake, the Upper West Side/Central Park West Historic District (4/24/1990) which, at the time of its designation, was the largest historic district in New York City. Equally important are the UWS individual landmarks that received protection, including:
- Sofia Brothers Warehouse, 43 West 61st Street (designated 4/12/1983)
- Association Residence for Respectable Aged Indigent Females (Association Residence for Women), 891 Amsterdam Avenue (designated 4/12/1983)
- The Chatsworth Apartments and Annex, 340-344 West 72nd Street (designated 9/11/1984)
- The Century Apartments, 25 Central Park West (7/9/1985)
- Eldorado Apartments, 300 Central Park West (7/9/1985)
- Normandy Apartments, 140 Riverside Drive (11/12/1985)
- Hotel Belleclaire, 2171-2179 Broadway (2/10/1987)
- San Remo Apartments, 145 Central Park West (3/31/1987)
- The Beresford Apartments, 211 Central Park West (9/15/1987)
- 354 Central Park West House, 354 Central Park West (11/10/1987)
- 355 Central Park West House, 355 Central Park West (11/10/1987)
- Majestic Apartments, 115 Central Park West (3/8/1988)
- Midtown Theater (now Metro Theater), 2626 Broadway (7/11/1989)
- First Battery Armory, 56 West 66th Street (8/1/1989)
- Master Building, 310 Riverside Drive (12/5/1989)
- 854 West End Avenue House, 854 West End Avenue (8/14/1990)
- 856 West End Avenue House, 856 West End Avenue (8/14/1990)
- 858 West End Avenue House, 858 West End Avenue (8/14/1990)
- 254 West 102nd Street House, 254 West 102nd Street (8/14/1990)
- Claremont Stables (now Claremont Riding Academy), 173-177 West 89th Street (8/14/1990)
- Hotel Marseilles, 2689-2693 Broadway (10/2/1990)
THANK YOU GENE! You will be missed, and thanks to you, parts of the UWS will remain forever intact!