Friends of Mosholu Parkland, pictured left, and Garifuna Coalition USA, Inc., pictured right, were both selected for the Historic Districts Council’s “Six to Celebrate” award.
Photos courtesy Historic Districts Council
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The Historic Districts Council (HDC), New York’s citywide advocate for historic buildings and neighborhoods, is pleased to announce its “Six to Celebrate,” an annual listing of historic New York City neighborhoods that merit preservation attention. And this year the list includes two Bronx-based organizations: Friends of Mosholu Parkland, of Mosholu Parkland, and Garifuna Coalition USA, Inc., which is based in the South Bronx.
HDC will support Friends of Mosholu Parkland’s work to create a master plan for Mosholu Parkway to improve the quality of life for the local communities, including Bedford Park and Norwood. HDC will also assist in their preservation efforts for sites including The Bronx Victory Memorial and Frank Frisch Field.
HDC will also lend support to the Garifuna Coalition USA, Inc., an organization representing a culturally differentiated Afro-indigenous community who began migrating to New York City in the 1930s, in their efforts to be more effective in their strategy to identify the historic resources in their community and promote the community’s significance.
HDC’s 2023 “Six to Celebrate” community partners also include Addisleigh Park Civic Organization, Greater Astoria Historical Society and Kew Gardens Improvement Association from Queens, and Bushwick Historic Preservation Association from Brooklyn.
Since the program’s inception in 2011, HDC has helped “Six to Celebrate” groups create three National Register districts, one National Register-eligible district, three National Register Properties, 33 NYC Individual Landmarks, six NYC historic districts (with many others still in the works), one contextual zoning to maintain neighborhood scale and character and 13 neighborhood surveys that have resulted in the documentation of thousands of historic buildings across the five boroughs.
HDC has also assisted in leveraging more than $100,000 in private and public grants for these community-driven projects. Neighborhoods selected also benefit from professionally designed websites, illustrated walking tour brochures, press attention, growing audiences and new contacts in the field.
Profiles of each of the 2023 “Six to Celebrate” neighborhoods, as well as all past honorees, are available by visiting www.6tocelebrate.org.
Applications for “Six to Celebrate” were submitted by neighborhood groups around the city. The six were chosen on the basis of architectural, cultural and historic merit, the presence and level of threats to the area, the strength and willingness of local advocates and an assessment of where HDC’s citywide preservation perspective and assistance could be the most meaningful.
Throughout 2023, HDC will work with these neighborhood partners to set and reach preservation goals through strategic planning, advocacy, outreach, programs and building public awareness.
Founded in 1970 as a coalition of community groups from the city’s designated historic districts, HDC has grown to become one of the foremost citywide voices for historic preservation. Serving a network of more than 500 neighborhood-based community groups in all five boroughs, HDC strives to protect, preserve and enhance New York City’s historic buildings and neighborhoods through ongoing advocacy, community development and education programs.
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