LOST HORIZON A 2005 view of one of the new towers squeezing into the Lower East Side

Last May, The National Trust For Historic Preservation confirmed what we all know to be true:  The Lower East is one of the 11 most endangered neighborhoods in the country. They concluded that the sudden influx of high rise luxury apartments and hotels can quickly destroy the nature of the neighborhood and its historic past, making the nineteenth century neighborhood into a modern-day imitation of the Upper East Side.

According to the report, "the community, with little recourse for protection, is reeling from the recent destruction of its cultural heritage, including the defacing of several historic structures and the loss of First Roumanian Synagogue. Slapdash and haphazard renovations have led to the destruction of architectural detail, while modern additions to historic buildings sharply contrast with the neighborhood’s scale and character.”

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BIG WHEELS Kids and their rigs

More than 100 young riders rolled into Tompkins Square Park on fancied up bikes, trikes, and scooters on the sunny morning of October 13 for a first in New York City history: A day when kids took the lead in showing the fun and the future of non-polluting transportation.

It was clear -- as Commissioner Margarita Lopez said in her kickoff speech -- that the Lower East Side was once again at the vanguard of urban culture, encouraging a new generation to support alternative transportation with their wildest artistic imaginings and their pedal power.

Here are five reasons why Lower East Siders came out in full force, and why you can't miss the next parade in October 2008:

At a Sept. 15 2006 hearing, the City Council gave a final unanimous vote to landmark this culturally, historically and architecturally significant building. Many, many thanks to all of you who worked toward this victory for our community.

The EVCC has created a film about the history of P.S. 64, which was shown to the Landmarks Commission during the hearings about landmark status.

THE SKY'S THE LIMIT? One of the new towers in a neighborhood in need of new zoning

The EVCC applauds the Department of City Planning's work in 2006 on a badly neeeded rezoning plan for our neighborhood. However, we have a few concerns which we expressed in a letter to City Planning. To get the important details, download our letter, and see the city's plan.

by Roland Legiardi-Laura

Ground was broken on June 12th, 1904 for the city's newest public school construction project just three days before the worst civilian disaster in American history (prior to 9/11). More than 1000 people, mostly women and children died when the General Slocum, a ferry boat on holiday duty, burned and ran aground on North Brother Island in the East River. It was the annual church outing for the largely German-American community of the East Village and the loss of so many of the neighborhood's youngsters devastated the community. Despairing remnants of families moved away by the hundreds and by the time P.S. 64 opened its doors in the fall of 1906, the churning Lower East Side had ceded this plot of land to the latest wave of immigration, Jews from Eastern Europe.