On the Poe House --

I agree partly with Chris - the Poe House in the Village does not have a
strong historical association with Poe.  (There is a Poe Cottage in the Bronx
that is a landmark.)  This is a group trying to use the landmarks law to
oppose rampant NYU expansion because the zoning laws are so unresponsive -
hostile - to existing neighborhoods. NYU has been seriously changing the
Washington Square neighborhood for decades. Zoning has allowed much larger
buildings in this area. It's understandable that the community is using every
avenue at their disposal to stem the tide. Using the landmarks law in this
manner, however, tends to weaken it because it is being misused as a planning
tool and there is already a plan and planning dept.

I agree with Mary that cultural history is an important criterion, much
overlooked. Historical association needs to be significant, however, and at a
glance it doesn't look good for the Poe House.

Mary Dierickx, NYC