By Kevin Korber of Village Confidential
Westbeth, a collection of affordable West Village apartments designed by Richard Meier, has acquired landmark designation, according to a report on Curbed.com. The landmark designation had been a point of concern for both residents of the Westbeth and local preservationist groups.
The Westbeth opened in 1970 and, because of grants offered by the National Endowment for the Arts and other organizations, it has been able to offer affordable live/work space for artists in the West Village. (The average price for a studio apartment in Westbeth is $650 per month.)
However, as time has passed, elements of the West Village apartments have fallen into disrepair: plumbing issues plague the building, and the roof is in need of repair. Arts organizations continue to donate to the building, but the newly-acquired landmark status will likely bring in a new set of grant money to maintain the building.
In other landmark-related news, the saga behind 43 MacDougal Street might finally be coming to a close. The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation has stated that they have spoken with both the LPC and the new owners of 43 MacDougal Street in order to form a plan to restore the building to its original status.
43 MacDougal Street had become notorious to Village residents as an eyesore: the landmarked building had been left vacant for several years, and it had become home to squatters, rats, and piles of garbage. Hopefully, those days are coming to an end.
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