Landmark East Harlem (LEH) is seeking an intern to support its efforts to preserve and protect the historic, cultural, and architectural character of the East Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan.
The paid internship would begin immediately run through fall semester of 2018, with a possibility to extend through spring semester of 2019.
LEH, formed in 2015, is a collaborative effort among Ascendant Neighborhood Development Corporation, CIVITAS, East Harlem Preservation, the Marcus Garvey Park Alliance, and other stakeholders from East Harlem. Members of LEH have been involved in the development of the East Harlem Neighborhood Plan and have helped to raise awareness of historic preservation as a key component of a comprehensive neighborhood plan.
Since LEH formed, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) has designated four new individual landmarks in East Harlem and has calendared another building for a public hearing in 2018. LEH will be heavily involved in advocating for the designation of new individual landmarks and historic districts during the internship period. The intern will assist with property research, preparation of testimony for LPC hearings, photographing of buildings, and education/outreach efforts.
In addition to its work at the local level, LEH has commissioned a study for a potential State/National Register-listed East Harlem Historic District. Based on this study, the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) has determined the district to be eligible for listing. In the first six months of 2018, LEH has begun a community education and outreach process to inform property owners about the benefits of listing on the State and National Registers, engage property owners in conversation around concerns and questions, and build consensus among community stakeholders about proceeding with the listing process. This requires creative and enthusiastic community engagement via both mail and digital outreach, public meetings, and interfacing with community leaders and local officials. The intern will coordinate with SHPO and work alongside LEH members to meet these goals, but will be largely self-directed.
Responsibilities will include:
● Developing a comprehensive list of property owners within the proposed district
● Creating outreach materials for educating and engaging homeowners about the proposed district
● Conducting research to support the creation of the district
● Assisting with the planning and execution of public meetings about the proposed district
● Supporting Landmark East Harlem with various communications and engagement via the LEH website and social media platforms
● The candidate should also have experience with using digital platforms (website, e-newsletters, and social media) for public outreach. A graduate student pursuing a degree in historic preservation, urban planning, community development, or a related field is preferred. Fluency in Spanish is also helpful, but not required.
● This internship is paid and will begin in summer 2018. The intern will work 10-15 hours a week, but scheduling is flexible. The intern will be based at Ascendant Neighborhood Development’s office in East Harlem but will work on behalf of LEH and report to the leadership of the group.
E-mail a letter of interest, resume, and brief writing sample to:
cirilloc@ascendant.nyc
Christopher Cirillo, Executive Director/President
Ascendant Neighborhood Development Corporation
421 East 116th Street, Ground Floor
New York, NY 10029