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YONKERS, N.Y. A Yonkers neighborhood is running out of time as it tries to preserve its Period Revival image.
More than a dozen residents and concerned neighbors of Warwick Road were at the Landmarks Preservation Committee meeting last week, waiting to give their case as to why an 18-home section of the street should be designated an historic district.
The label is important because one of the neighborhoods newest residents is planning to tear down his home, a move that would disrupt the unique character of the street, many residents say.
It is important for Yonkers to preserve our historic neighborhoods, and prevent needless destruction of their unique characteristics, Warwick Road resident and petitioner Jack Rose wrote in a statement. The demolition of this building would irreparably alter the character of the district.
Rose said the initiative started in November of 2011 when the house and property at 101 Warwick Road were sold to a new owner, Levon Kazarian. The commercial banker could not be reached for comment, but earlier this year he submitted a proposal to the Zoning Board of Appeals, detailing plans to demolish the home and replace it with a modern structure that included both an indoor tennis court and indoor swimming pool.
In an effort to prevent the changes, several homeowners along Warwick Road submitted an application to the city, hoping it would declare the area an historic district. In June, the Landmarks Preservation board deemed the application complete, starting the clock on a 180-day moratorium that prevents the demolition of any homes in the neighborhood while the proposal is considered.
Should that moratorium run out before a decision is made, however, the owner will potentially be able to begin tearing down the home, a devastating blow for the neighborhood, Rose said.
While reviewing the application for historic-district status last week, members of the Landmarks Preservation Board raved about what they called the distinct feel the neighborhood has maintained throughout the years.
Many of the homes are from an era of Period Revival, a style made popular in the early 19th and late 20th centuries in which homes were intended to recreate versions of early American architectural styles and traditions.
This is a very unique piece of the citys fabric, Bob Piwinski said. This neighborhood doesnt feel like Yonkers. It feels like some other country.
Board member Donna Gianbrone Ingram agreed.
This is a neighborhood that survived and it behooves us to celebrate it, she said.
If landmark status is granted by the City Council, Warwick would become the citys fifth historic district. The designation would also mean that no changes can be made to the outsides of the 18 properties without approval from the city.
The Landmarks Preservation Board will hold a public hearing on the proposed historic district Sept. 20 at 6 p.m. A vote is expected during the committees Oct. 2 meeting.
Should the application be approved, it will be presented to the City Council for a final vote.
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