It took five years of nudging, but preservationists finally got their wish today when the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to landmark Silver Towers, three IM Pei–designed, sixties-era residential buildings near NYU, and the massive Picasso sculpture that fronts them. The ruling likely puts the kibosh on the university's plans to build a 40-foot tower in the green space adjacent to Silver Towers, says Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, which has been lobbying for designation for years. In an interview this morning, Berman said the ruling wouldn't "provide absolute protection of the green space, but it makes it pretty clear [it's] integral and should not be messed with." He added that the Morton Williams site nearby was not included, however, which means it could still be vulnerable for development, and GVSHP will be "watching closely." NYU, consider yourself warned.

Earlier: NYU’s Pei-Designed Silver Towers Probably to Get Landmark Status Today