Individual landmark

An individual landmark is a building or structure the Landmarks Preservation Commission has designated for its architectural, historical, or cultural significance. Designation is a public act with hearings and a vote, and it changes the property's legal life: exterior alterations, demolition, and additions require Commission approval — from staff permits for routine work to full hearings for substantial interventions — regardless of what zoning would allow as-of-right.

For analysis, designation reprices feasibility (the existing building is, practically, permanent), timeline (a discretionary review precedes permits), and opportunity: a landmark frozen below its floor-area ceiling holds unused development rights that § 74-79 lets it transfer to qualifying nearby lots by special permit.