H.R. 1846 — Introduced in House

I 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1846 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 7, 2013 Ms. Velázquez introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources A BILL To amend the Act establishing the Lower East Side Tenement National Historic Site, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Lower East Side Tenement National Historic Site Amendments Act. 2. Findings The Congress finds the following: (1) The Lower East Side Tenement Museum was founded in 1988 and has, for the past 25 years, preserved and interpreted the history of immigration through the personal experiences of generations of newcomers who settled in and built lives on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, America’s iconic immigrant neighborhood. (2) (A) The Director of the National Park Service found the Lower East Side Tenement at 97 Orchard Street to be nationally significant. (B) On April 19, 1994, the Secretary of the Interior declared the Lower East Side Tenement a National Historic Landmark. (C) The Director of the National Park Service, through a special resource study, found the Lower East Side Tenement suitable and feasible for inclusion in the National Park System. (D) On November 12, 1998, the historic site was designated as an affiliated site of the National Park System pursuant to Public Law 105–378. (3) (A) In 2006, the Secretary of the Interior, together with the National Park Service, compiled a general management plan for the site. (B) The plan recognized the need for space for administrative functions, collections storage, and visitor services, including orientation and additional exhibits. (C) The plan expressly specified that a boundary adjustment to the National Historic Site might be considered if the museum was able to obtain property and the resources— (i) included significant features related of the primary purposes of the site; (ii) addressed operational issues including access; or (iii) protected resources critical to the site’s purposes. (4) The Museum obtained a neighboring 1888 tenement, 103 Orchard Street, which was restored and renovated to serve as a visitor and education center. (5) 103 Orchard Street was declared a contributing property in the Lower East Side National Historic District, listed on both the National and New York State Registers of Historic Places. 3. Amendments Public Law 105–378 is amended— (1) in section 101(a)— (A) in paragraph (4), by striking the Lower East Side Tenement at 97 Orchard Street in New York City is an outstanding survivor and inserting the Lower East Side Tenements at 97 and 103 Orchard Street in New York City are outstanding survivors; and (B) in paragraph (5), by striking the Lower East Side Tenement is and inserting the Lower East Side Tenements are; (2) in section 102— (A) in paragraph (1), by striking Lower East Side Tenement found at 97 Orchard Street and inserting Lower East Side Tenements found at 97 and 103 Orchard Street; and (B) in paragraph (2), by striking which owns and operates the tenement building at 97 Orchard Street and inserting which owns and operates the tenement buildings at 97 and 103 Orchard Street; (3) in section 103(a), by striking the Lower East Side Tenement at 97 Orchard Street, in the City of New York, State of New York, is designated and inserting the Lower East Side Tenements at 97 and 103 Orchard Street, in the City of New York, State of New York, are designated; and (4) in section 104(d), by striking the property at 97 Orchard Street and inserting the properties at 97 and 103 Orchard Street.