Don’t Want To Preserve It? Knock It Down Faster.

In New York, preservationists are fuming over what has become a pattern of behavior among those who view preservation as an impediment. “A property owner… is notified by the landmarks commission that its building or the neighborhood is being considered for landmark status. The owner then rushes to obtain a demolition or stripping permit from the city’s Department of Buildings so that notable qualities can be removed, rendering the structure unworthy of protection.”