Monday, April 6, 2026, 10 a.m. (New York City time), 250 Broadway - 8th Floor - Hearing Room 1
Committee: Committee on Rules, Privileges, Elections, Standards and Ethics
The Committee on Rules, Privileges, Elections, Standards and Ethics, chaired by Council Member Sandra Ung, held a hearing on Mayor Zara Madani's nomination of Lisa Kersavage to be Chair of the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Kersavage, LPC's executive director since 2019, testified about her background, the agency's equity framework, permitting processes, hardship applications, and her priorities on housing balance, sustainability, and supporting property owners. Council members questioned her on landmarking pace, demolition by neglect, the Merchant's House, ADUs in historic districts, church hardships, public housing preservation, and designation standards. Six public commenters, all from preservation organizations, spoke in support of the nomination. The public hearing was closed at the end; no vote was recorded in the transcript.
0:13 Very much good morning and
0:13 welcome to today's New York
0:14 City Council hearing for the
0:15 committee on rules privileges
0:17 elections standard and ethics
0:18 at this time I would like t
0:20 oremind everyone that sound so
0:22 electronic devices also at
0:23 this point going forward no
0:25 one is approached approach t
0:25 otheirs
0:25 . Till we're ready to begin.
0:31 Good morning and welcome t
0:33 othis meeting of the committee
0:35 on rules privileges elections
0:37 standard and ethics I'm
0:39 council ong a committee before
0:40 we we begin I would like t
0:41 orecognize other members of the
0:42 committee who are present
0:44 Council Member rally we also
0:45 joined by Council Member morte e
0:49 to the council to the
0:50 committee jeff campania and
0:51 the committee staff that
0:52 worked on today's hearing
0:54 director of pop integrity
0:56 francesca De La vecchia deputy
0:58 director of public integrity
1:00 alicia vassal and chief ethics
1:01 counsel pearle mawr by letter
1:04 dated April 24 2026 Mayor zara
1:08 madani requested advice and
1:09 consent of the council
1:11 regarding his proposed
1:13 appointment elisa casa vich t
1:15 obe a member of the landmarks
1:17 preservation commission today
1:18 we'll hold a public hearing
1:19 pursuant to section 31 of the
1:21 charter to consider this
1:23 nomination section 30 20 of
1:25 the charter establishes that
1:26 the New York City landmarks
1:28 preservation commission also
1:29 known as lpc is responsible
1:32 for establishing a regularly
1:34 landmarks portion of landmarks l
1:36 landmarks and scenic landmarks
1:38 and historic districts delpy
1:41 also regulates auto
1:44 alterations buildings della p
1:45 c consists of 11 members
1:46 membership must must include
1:47 at
1:47 . Least three architects one
1:49 historian qualifying the the
1:52 one City planner a landscape
1:53 architect and one realtor and
1:55 must include at least one
1:56 resident from each of the fiv
1:58 eboroughs members serve for the
1:59 term of three years and served
2:00 until the appointment of a
2:02 successor.
2:02 The Mayor also designates
2:04 one of the lpc members t
2:05 oserve as a chair of the
2:06 . Lpc and designate another
2:08 member to serve as vice chair
2:10 of the lpc these lpc members
2:12 shall serve until his
2:12 successor is designated the
2:14 members of the lpc the
2:15 exception of the chair serves
2:18 without compensation by
2:19 reimbursed for necessary
2:21 expenses and incur in the
2:21 course of performing their
2:23 duties the Mayor has expressed
2:24 his intent to designate the
2:27 New chair of the commission
2:29 the chairs current sally is
2:34 too hundred $23000 3 hundred
2:34 and 19c lisa savage joins us
2:35 today she has been on the
2:37 staff of that landmark
2:39 preservation commission since
2:41 2015 when she joins the
2:43 director of special projects
2:45 and strategic planning since
2:46 20 19 she has been executive
2:48 director of the agency in
2:49 which role she conceived
2:52 drafted and executed the
2:53 agency's equity agenda t
2:55 oshort diversity and inclusion
2:57 and lpc s historic
2:59 designations prior to joining
3:00 lpc from 20 12 2 20 15 savitch
3:04 was a project manager at the
3:06 van ela institute where she
3:08 oversaw a 3 million design
3:10 competition to develop a
3:11 sustainable vision of the
3:13 lower mississippi delta from
3:16 2004 2 2012 she worked at the
3:18 municipal art society as a
3:20 fellow the director of
3:22 advocacy and policy and as a
3:24 senior director of
3:26 preservation and
3:27 sustainability where she led
3:27 the campaign to construct a
3:29 monahan station she also
3:31 served as executive director
3:32 of the friends of the upper
3:33 east side historic district
3:35 from 19 99 2 2004 and from 1
3:40 997 2 19 99 where she was a
3:42 publication specialist as what
3:43 is now known as you know its
3:45 architects miss kay savage on
3:46 her bachelors of art and art
3:49 history from pennsylvania
3:50 state university and master's
3:51 degree in historic
3:53 preservation from columbia
3:55 university
3:55 . If appointed miss cassava
3:57 serves the savitch will serve
3:58 the remainder of a three year
3:59 term that will expire on jun
4:02 e28 2028 while come miss kay
4:02 savage and thank you for being
4:04 with us here today before you
4:07 begin please raise the right
4:07 hand to be sworn in your firm
4:10 to tell the truth the whole
4:12 truth and nothing but the
4:13 truth in your testimony before
4:14 this committee and an answer
4:15 recognized to give an openings
4:20 statement great thank you very
4:22 much herr good morning to you
4:24 and Council Member Marte and
4:26 two members of the committee
4:28 on rules privileges elections
4:30 standards and ethics I'm
4:31 honored to be Mayor mom
4:33 donnie's nominee to be chair
4:34 of the landmarks preservation
4:36 commission I believe the work
4:37 of l is important and that the
4:39 preservation of historic
4:40 resources can support
4:43 communities foster economic
4:44 development and contribute t
4:46 othe vitality of New York City.
4:46 I bring to the commission
4:48 more than two decades of
4:49 experience working at the
4:50 intersection of historic
4:51 preservation urban planning
4:53 and sustainability as well as
4:54 a strong track record of
4:56 executive leadership in both
4:56 government and the nonprofit
4:58 sector I believe my experience
4:59 and approach to preservation
5:00 will enable me to serve as an
5:02 effective chair and I hope
5:03 that you will support my
5:05 nomination an interest in
5:06 architectural history and
5:07 urban planning brought me t
5:08 othe field that is.
5:10 And has shaped the direction
5:11 of my career having a lifelong
5:13 dream of of living working in
5:15 New York City I was excited t
5:17 omove here for graduate studies
5:19 at columbia university where I
5:20 focused on the public policy
5:22 and urban planning aspects of
5:24 historic preservation after
5:25 working at the preservation
5:26 nonprofit friends of the upper
5:27 east side of start districts I
5:30 held senior positions at the
5:32 munich municipal society of
5:33 New York where the advocacy
5:37 was deliberately
5:37 interdisciplinary.
5:38 Looking at how preservation
5:40 can contribute to neighborhood
5:42 plans rezoning h's and
5:43 economic development projects.
5:45 That approach to historic
5:46 preservation has been an
5:47 important guiding principle to
5:49 me at a man I led a large
5:51 project to improve the energy
5:53 efficiency and sustainability
5:54 of historic buildings later I
5:56 was able to apply my
5:57 resiliency and climate change
5:59 interests leading an ambitious
6:02 design competition sponsored
6:03 by the environmental defense
6:04 fund and van allen institute
6:06 convening global teams of
6:08 interdisciplinary experts t
6:10 ore imagine a more sustainable
6:12 lower mississippi river delta
6:14 subsequently I joined lpc
6:15 . Where I've worked for 1
6:17 1years serving first as the
6:18 director of strategic planning
6:20 and special projects and for
6:20 the last seven years as
6:23 executive director.
6:24 The time that I've been at
6:26 the agency I have helped make
6:28 advancements to increase
6:29 efficiency transparency and
6:30 accessibility of our
6:33 permitting process to
6:34 designate significant historic
6:34 resources across the City and
6:37 prioritizing places that
6:38 reflect the city's diversity
6:40 and to educate property owners
6:42 about permitting processes and
6:44 grant opportunities taking on
6:44 the role of chair at this time
6:47 is personally important as I
6:48 am to help advance the goals
6:49 of the mondaini administration
6:53 to address affordability
6:54 increase housing and make
6:55 government work for all New
6:58 yorkers
6:58 . As chair addressing housing
7:00 issues will be a priority and
7:01 would align with my inner
7:03 dissident interdisciplinary
7:04 approach to the field
7:05 . Finding the right balance
7:07 between protecting the
7:08 character of New York city's
7:09 historic districts and
7:11 landmarks while allowing for
7:12 the development of New housing
7:13 is an obligation that I'm
7:14 confident in my abilities to
7:16 take on another priority for
7:18 me is continuing to advance
7:20 equitable representation and
7:22 designations prioritizing
7:23 those that reflect New York
7:25 city's diversity and that are
7:27 in areas less represented by
7:29 landmarks and striving to tel
7:30 lthe story of all New York er's.
7:31 In addition I believe it is
7:33 important to work closely with
7:35 agencies such as the
7:36 department of City planning t
7:38 oidentify opportunities for
7:40 preservation in areas planned
7:42 for gross supporting property
7:44 owners of designated landmarks
7:45 is another priority as shero
7:47 continue advancing our work t
7:49 osupport property owners and
7:50 ensure that we are issuing
7:52 guidance that is clear and
7:53 that we consider rule
7:55 amendments to expedite the
7:55 type of work typically
7:57 undertaken by small property
7:58 owners
7:59 . Another priority is
8:00 addressing sustainability
8:00 issues and our historic
8:02 resources encouraging work
8:03 that's sensitively improves
8:05 energy efficiency and
8:07 resiliency is important and I
8:08 will consider measures to
8:11 streamline permitting to
8:11 support this type of work
8:13 finally supporting and
8:15 nurturing lpc staff is also a
8:17 priority over my time at lpc
8:19 I've witnessed their
8:20 dedication to the field and t
8:22 othe New York City residents
8:23 that they serve and I'm
8:24 honored to lead such a
8:25 talented team I am excited for
8:27 the future of preservation in
8:28 New York City and thank the
8:31 City Council for considering
8:31 and supporting my nomination
8:33 as chair of the landmarks
8:35 preservation commission thank
8:36 you again for offering the
8:37 opportunity to testify and I'm
8:39 happy to answer any questions
8:40 that you have.
8:42 Thank you we also joined by
8:44 Council Member and I will ask
8:46 you some questions before I
8:47 turn over to my colleagues as
8:50 executive director lpc you
8:51 played a leading role in
8:53 crafting and implementing the
8:55 agency's equity initiative can
8:56 you explain what that is sure.
8:59 What we did in is look at
9:02 the agency wide how we we
9:06 improve equity transparency
9:08 across the entire agency so
9:09 some of that work was related
9:11 to making sure that our
9:13 permitting processes it's very
9:15 clear for everybody else
9:17 unusual agency and that our
9:19 applicants range from
9:21 individual property owners t
9:23 osay architects or land use
9:24 attorneys so we wanted to make
9:25 sure that the individual
9:28 property owners have equal
9:29 access to information that
9:30 they could apply to lpc on
9:31 their own and make sure that
9:33 our staff was working with
9:35 them closely to help support
9:37 them I think most importantly
9:40 to with our
9:41 . Landmark designations we
9:44 really sought to prioritiz
9:46 edesignations that reflect the
9:47 diversity of the City um and
9:49 to also look at designations
9:53 that geographically diverse in
9:53 the City as well and t
9:57 oundertake research that is
9:58 very inclusive that really
10:00 makes sure.
10:00 To tell those stories I
10:01 think especially telling the
10:03 stories of social justice and
10:05 civil rights is also very
10:06 important to us so we use that
10:09 as a framework to prioritize
10:12 designations over the last
10:14 several years and
10:14 . I think that work is very
10:16 important and will continue.
10:18 Thank you so when analyzing
10:20 whether a slight should be
10:21 landmark how should the
10:22 historic nature of its site be
10:25 balanced with its esthetic
10:28 uniqueness that's a great
10:29 question
10:29 . You know we the landmark's
10:31 law is quite broad but we over
10:34 the six years of the agency
10:38 have developed you know
10:40 criteria and comparative
10:42 analysis to really look at how
10:43 we can identify places that
10:46 merit designation typically
10:48 places are architecturally
10:49 significant but we also can
10:54 recognize historic significant
10:55 cultural significance and we
10:56 usually look at the
10:57 combination of all of them t
10:59 odetermine that significance
11:01 we've also been joined by
11:05 council Encarnación as
11:06 executive director how do you
11:08 respond to requests for
11:10 designation for
11:10 . Advocates do you can you
11:12 explain the regulatory
11:13 thresholds for these
11:15 designations sure um so l l p
11:18 c s
11:18 applications for
11:22 . Designations other cities do
11:24 that but we do have a process
11:27 to have people request whether
11:29 a site merit designation and
11:31 that's the request for
11:33 evaluation so those come into
11:35 us and our our research
11:37 department guided by our
11:39 director of research analyzes
11:42 whether the property merit
11:45 designation and we do a lot of
11:47 research into these sites and
11:48 then respond to the person who
11:50 sent it to us and importantly
11:52 that information goes into our
11:53 survey so if it is a place
11:54 that merits designation it
11:56 goes into her survey but it
11:59 doesn't necessarily lead to a
12:02 designation.
12:03 I'm sorry can you clarify
12:04 what does it mean going to a
12:06 survey
12:06 . So our research department
12:09 has surveys of historic
12:12 buildings historically
12:12 culturally and architecturally
12:13 significant buildings across
12:14 the City those are our
12:16 internal working dot um
12:19 guidelines for places and we
12:21 refer to them in environmental
12:25 review and other you know
12:26 analysis that we do some of
12:29 those we advance to designate
12:31 either as an individual
12:33 landmark interior landmark or
12:34 a historic district.
12:36 And do you explain that
12:39 whole process to advocates
12:42 about how you know
12:43 . How to get the designation
12:45 how do you explain the whole
12:46 process of advocates yeah and
12:48 it's and it's I admit a bit
12:52 confusing so because I think
12:53 people do often think there is
12:55 an application process for
12:56 designation so we do try very
12:58 hard to communicate that
13:01 clearly and I think you know
13:03 that that.
13:04 Advocacy organizations I
13:05 think understand that but I
13:07 think particularly individual
13:08 property owners sometimes
13:09 reach out to us or you know
13:12 other
13:13 . Other people we do in our
13:14 responses to people trying t
13:17 oexplain that and you know that
13:19 it's and if a building merits
13:22 designation that it doesn't
13:23 necessarily mean that we are