David Helpern Reappointed to Serve on Community Board

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine has re-appointed David Helpern for a sixth term to Manhattan’s Community Board 8, which serves the Upper East Side. He was sponsored by NYC Council Member Julie Menin.

David is by fiat on the Land-Use Committee and full Community Board. This is his fifth cycle as co-chair of the Landmarks Committee. “The Upper East Side has a fair share of the city’s significant landmarked buildings,” David explains.

Community Boards are the first step on the way to the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission’s approval or denial of a proposed change to a building that either is a designated Landmark or that falls within a Historic District. Projects that come before David’s committee range from windows and awnings to major façade alterations and building enlargements.

Few Community Board members have professional experience, and appointment of licensed architects is still rare. But as David points out, “It’s important to have design professionals on a Community Board not just to assess what’s shown us in a presentation … but also to spot what’s missing, sometimes intentionally, which can happen when the stakes are high.” 

Image above: The fabled Upper East Side of Manhattan, which is the responsibility of CB8. Gracie Mansion, the Mayor’s residence, is in Carl Schurz Park, lower right, along the East River.