When the Lower East Side Tenement Museum proposed to designate the Landmark East Side a landmark district, it hoped to receive support from the community board. But after the museum presented its proposal, the Board did not pass the resolution.

The museum now plans to explain its proposal to the public on March 22.

Susan Stetzer, district manager of Community Board 3 – from 14th street to the Brooklyn Bridge – confirmed on March 16 that the museum was looking for supporting letters from board members. The community, however, had a different opinion, forcing the museum to withdraw its request and only presented its proposal to the board.

The museum staff said that they wanted to have a dialogue with community members.

One board member criticized the museum for not informing landowners who might be affected by the designation.

The landmark district, as proposed by the museum, falls west to Allen Street; east to Essex Street; south to Division Street; and north to Houston Street. A portion of Eldridge Street is also included. Chinese and Jewish immigrants own many of the buildings in the area. Once it is designated a landmark, any rebuilding or conversion – including the changing of doors and windows – will be regulated. Simon Misrahi, former president of the Lower East Side Business Improvement District, said that the area proposed by the museum encompasses 24 streets. Out of the 450 building owners in the area, 425 oppose the proposal.

Many Chinese immigrants who recently moved into the area also showed up to voice their opposition.

Masin Kwan of the Hoy Ping Association said that he appreciates the idea of preservation, but he feels would be better to landmark individual buildings, instead of the whole area.

Kwan also presented a petition signed by more than 300 people opposed to the landmark designation, including Eric Ng, president of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association and Eddie Chu, president of the Lin Sing Association.

Chilon Lin who represented the Fujian Association, cited his personal experience with 173-175 East Broadway, a landmark building. Lin said that it took him eight years to undesignate the landmark and convert it into a condominium.

Lin said he had helped the museum in fundraising, but he is opposing the proposal.

The proposal also had its supporters at the meeting. Simon Bankoff, executive director of the NYC Historical District Committee, said that it takes a long time to designate an entire area and people will have time to get more information before making any decision.

A New York City Landmark Preservation Committee official confirmed that the museum’s application has been received, and is now under review. The official said that the procedure is to make a study and then hold a series of public hearings, adding that the Committee will then vote on it.

If the proposal passes, the official said, the landmark designation will go to the City Planning Committee for another vote. The proposal, which needs to be approved by the City Council, can be vetoed by the Council at any time. As to how long the process takes, the official said that it depends on the scale of the area and the types of the buildings found there.

Since the Council has the final say on the designation, the proposal is not likely to pass without support from New York City Council Member Allen Gerson (D-Manhattan). Gerson said that he is not against the idea of landmarking, but he wants to see more discussion on its boundaries. He thinks it might work if it is scaled down from what is proposed now.

Willington Chen, executive director of the Chinatown Partnership Local Development Corporation, said that the landmarking process will take a long time and suggests that everyone keep an open mind about it.