The preservation fight over the Hopper-Gibbons House, Manhattan's only documented Underground Railroad site, has picked up again, with the Board of Standards and Appeals considering owner Tony Mamouas' application to keep a rooftop addition. The legality of that addition has been controversial for several years—the city already ordered Mamounas to take it down in late 2010, but he ignored the order. The rooftop is important to preservationists because it was the route by which people fled the house during the Draft Riots of 1863.

This is one of the 15 buildings preservationists deem endangered by the proposed upzoning around Grand Central Terminal. The 1925 building was designed by George B. Post and retained its original facade even after an extensive renovation in the 1990s. That's unusual among the hotels in the Terminal City area.

The Empire State Building is nicely framed by the Grand Army Plaza Arch, and one local preservationist is worried it won't stay that way once a new Atlantic Yards tower rises 219 feet and blocks the view. He's circulating a petition in the hope of preventing this from happening.

The proposed rezoning of Hudson Square has brought preservationists out to fight once again for the landmarking of the South Village. They argue that Hudson Square's rezoning would put economic pressure on the South Village, leading to changes in the neighborhood. The City Planning Commission will hold its public hearing on the rezoning proposal tomorrow.

The proposal for a nine-story hotel next to the Merchant's House has gotten no love from the Landmarks Preservation Commission or from the neighbors.

Where this particular preservation battle is right now: the Landmarks Preservation Commission is discussing whether to have a hearing to discuss the building's possible landmarking. Since the building has already been marketed as a "highly desirable" residential spot, this really does sound like the building's last chance.

Preservationists have been fighting the city's decision to replace the wood of the Coney Island boardwalk with concrete, and they say Hurricane Sandy bolsters their argument. The old wooden boardwalk filtered the seawater so that sand built up on top and underneath the boardwalk. The new concrete section of the boardwalk did not (according to opponents) block the sand so successfully.

Twice denied by Landmarks, once in 2005 and previously this year, the proposed Richmond Hill Historic District may give it another try. The Richmond Hill Historical Society seeks to preserve the Victorian-style architecture of the neighborhood. The president of the historical society says “It’s more of an endeavor to preserve this kind of architecture…It’s for people to marvel at.” He also notes that the future attempt at LPC will propose a smaller area in order to better appeal to the LPC.