REBNY Donates Historical Documents to the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives at LaGuardia Community College
January 16, 2018
LaGuardia Community College (“LaGuardia”) and the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) jointly announce the donation of REBNY’s papers, and other historical items from the late 19th century through the present, to the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives (“the Archives”). Housed on the LaGuardia campus in Long Island City, Queens, the Archives serves as a repository of collections that illuminate the social and political history of New York City. The REBNY collection will be made available for examination to LaGuardia students, as well as for researchers, policy makers, journalists, urban planners, and more.
“We are pleased to donate our documents and artifacts to the LaGuardia Community College. This collection of New York City real estate history will now be available to students, researchers, and the general public for generations to come,” said Real Estate Board of New York President John H. Banks. “The addition of REBNY’s records to the other historical collections housed by LaGuardia, together present important snapshots of key moments in New York City’s history.”
“REBNY’s decision to contribute their collection to our college’s LaGuardia and Wagner Archives is monumental,” said LaGuardia Community College President Gail O. Mellow. “Researchers seeking understanding about New York City will have more than 125 years of documentation about land use, ownership, design trends, and building codes—revealing the people who have built our city and lived, worked, and visited here, as well as signals about what the future may hold. And as an educational tool, our students will have the rare privilege of studying from original documentation—an experience that should deepen their understanding of our city’s history, and how it’s linked to their current lives. It becomes an intellectually alive process—showing the students that they’re a part of history.”
The REBNY Collection will exist alongside the mayoral and personal papers of nine former New York City mayors, as well as the records of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the New York City Council, and the additional collections of the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives.
“Having the REBNY collection exist next to the records of both NYCHA and the City Council is entirely apposite,” said Richard Lieberman, PhD, professor of history and director of the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives. “Researchers will have a single source from which to access New York City’s public and private real estate history for the past 125 years, and to examine the legislative policies from the City Council that impacted this history. Both NYCHA and REBNY, representing public and private housing, are essential parts of New York City’s story—together revealing how our neighborhoods were shaped, community revitalizations, and much more.”
Highlights of the collection include the REBNY Diary and Manual, an annual book that compiles changes in building codes and zoning updates, reflecting major issues facing industry each year, and tracks REBNY membership comprised of New York City’s leading real estate professionals. It also features more than 300,000 property cards for houses, buildings, and other private properties located in Manhattan from the 1920s through the 1990s (after which time these records were continued by the New York City Department of Buildings). Each card contains information about property ownership, sales prices, and more.
Many of these documents will be digitized, allowing the documents to live both online to ensure global access, and in the physical space at the Archives on the LaGuardia Community College campus located in Long Island City, Queens.
The LaGuardia and Wagner Archives has a total of more than 2.3 million documents available for download and study on its website, from its 14 total collections. More than half of these documents, greater than 1.3 million, are documents of the City Council. Recent City Council documents filmed and digitized include files of Vice Chairman/Majority Leader Thomas Cuite, Speaker Peter Vallone Sr., as well as the printed bill and other documentation related to newly introduced legislation.
The Archives encourages New York City architects, urban planners, real estate developers, and builders, who also contributed to shaping New York City, to consider donating their archival records to the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives for posterity. Those interested should contact Archivist Douglas Di Carlo at (718) 482-5065 or ddicarlo@lagcc.cuny.edu.
Click here to watch a video about the REBNY Collection and the process of its donation to the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives at LaGuardia Community College, part of The City University of New York.
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About the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY)
The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) is the City’s leading real estate trade association with more than 17,000 members. Founded in 1896, REBNY represents commercial, residential, and institutional property owners, builders, managers, investors, brokers, and salespeople; banks, financial service companies, utilities, attorneys, architects, and contractors; and other associations, organizations, institutions, corporations, co-partnerships, and individuals professionally interested and engaged in business allied to New York City real estate.
REBNY is involved in crucial municipal matters including tax policy, city planning and zoning, rental conditions, land use policy, building codes, and other city, state, and federal legislation. REBNY regularly publishes real estate market research and policy reports as well as broker surveys. In addition, REBNY provides for its members: informational, technical, and technological resources; networking and charitable service opportunities; qualifying and continuing education courses; professional education programs, seminars, and designations; career-changing awards; legal advice; and a wide range of additional member benefits. For more information, please visit www.REBNY.com.
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About the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives at LaGuardia Community College
The LaGuardia and Wagner Archives, established in 1982, serves as a repository for NYC’s social and political history, which includes among the largest collection of New York City mayoral papers. Archive records include the personal papers and official documents of Mayors Fiorello H. LaGuardia, Robert F. Wagner, Abraham D. Beame and Edward I. Koch, the records of the New York City Housing Authority, the piano maker Steinway & Sons, The Council of the City of New York and a Queens Local History Collection. Assets from these collections are regularly referenced in news stories, and studied by journalists, policy makers, and other researchers. The Archives regularly produces public programs exploring its collections, including an annual calendar devoted to a theme of importance to the Greater New York Metropolitan area. Click here to learn more.
About LaGuardia Community College
LaGuardia Community College (LAGCC), located in Long Island City, Queens, educates thousands of New Yorkers annually through degree, certificate, and continuing education programs . LaGuardia is a national voice on behalf of community colleges, where half of all U.S. college students study. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his championing the underserved. Since our doors opened in 1971, our programs regularly become national models for pushing boundaries to give people of all backgrounds access to a high quality, affordable college education.
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Media Coverage
Real Estate Weekly – Online: REBNY donates historic documents to LaGuardia College
January 24, 2018
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