Daily News from New York, New York • 107

ACTION UME Medals for good behavior spark controversy Page 2 local spoirrs The road to the 1985 Metro Bowl Pago 3 By PAUL LA ROSA 'The creation of new housing in a starved market should be applauded and encouraged Joe Scholes, a legislative aide for the Real Estate Board granted by the city between 1983 and 19S4 went to luxury Manhattan developments. The Housing Committee of the City Council last week voted to extend the restrictions another four years until Jan. 1, 1991. Joe Scholes, a legislative aide for the Real Estate Board, testified that the extension of the program would "send yet another signal to the private-investment community that their housing dollars are not wanted in mid-Manhattan," "The creation of new housing in a starved market should be applauded and encouraged," he told the City Council committee. Councilwoman Ruth Messinger (D-Manhattan), who said the current building boom had resulted in "a hole on every corner of my district (the West Side)," was opposed to the extension, but for different reasons.

She said that she favored restrictions that would apply to Ell of Manhattan south of UClh St The city changed the program last year in an attempt to force development out of prime Midtown locations and into the outer boroughs. The change takes effect Nov. 29, and developers in the affected areas must make a "good faith" effort to get their building foundations in the ground by that date or become ineligible for the tax breaks. Inspectors out The city will send inspectors from the Housing Preservation and Development Department and the Building Department to excavation sites in the next two weeks to make sure that developers applying for the tax advantages are close to getting their foundations in place. "We will examine every site and take photographs to make sure they qualify for the program," said Ronald Marino, a deputy Housing Preservation and Development commissioner.

Marino said that the city is Elelp needed The Bowery Residents' Committee is seeking financial help this year to provide turkeys at its annual Thanksgiving dinner for elderly New Yorkers living in Bowery SRO's. Preparations for the dinner are nearly complete except for obtaining the turkeys. Last year's contributor of 30 but-terballs is unable to give them this year. Anyone wishing to make a donation toward the dinner may call 533-5700, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Tango class Juan Carlos Copes and Maria Nieves, two of the stars and the choreog raphers of "Tango Argentine," will give a master class tonight at 8:30 p.m. at the Sandra Cameron Dance Center, 439 Layfayette St. at Astor Place. The Fee for the master class is $50. The class is for experienced dancers.

This is the first teaching engagement for Nieves and Copes, who perform nightly on Broadway in "Tango Argentino" at the Mark Hellinger Theater. For information, call 674-0505. Kcsfser Cliiisese Everything you ever' wanted to know about the preparation of kosher Chinese food will be explained in detail at 7 p.m. tonight by specially trained master chefs at Bernstein's On Essex, in a combination lecture-dinner party. The event is sponsored by the Sutton Place Synagogue and costs $20 a person, which includes a full dinner.

To reserve, call 593-3300. Chanukah gifts In celebration of Chanu-kah, the 92nd Street Vs But-tenwieser Library is selling a wide selection of holiday gifts, including books, dreidels, menorahs, and candles, during library hours, through Dec. 15. Phone 427-6000, Extension 137, for exact times. On Wednesday evening, from 6 p.m.

to 9 p.m. the Y's kosher cooking school will offer a multi-national Cha-nukah cooking class, featuring such holiday specialties as Czechoslovakian caraway roasted goose with cabbage, French beignets de legumes, Near Eastern baked potato pancakes, and for dessert, Italian fritelle di Chanukah and Israeli soufganyot. The fee for the course is $35. Register in advance, by calling 427-6000, Extension 179. Daily News Staff Writer A land rush is on in Manhattan as developers scurry to take advantage of a favorite tax-abatement program that will become severely restricted in about two weeks.

Between 9,000 and 12,000 residential apartments are being built in Manhattan this year more than three times the normal rate, according to officials at the city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development Last year, only 3,952 apartments were built, according to the Real Estate Board of New York. 'Good faith' After Nov. 29, developers of luxury apartments who build between 14th and 96th Sts. in Manhattan will no longer be eligible for the 421-A tax-abatement program, which provides tax breaks for 10 years after construction. The restrictions also will cover the area from Fulton St to the Battery.

By JOAN SHEPARD Manhattan Cultural Affairs Editor For the first time in its 12-year history, the New York Landmarks Conservancy has taken legal action against a residential building, a West Side co-op, to guarantee that the building's board of directors and shareholders conform to the city's Landmarks Law. On Friday, the Conservancy, 330 W. 42d St a private nonprofit preservation group, and the Normandy, 140 Riverside Drive at 87th St, worked out an agreement in State Supreme Court The Normandy was landmarked on Nov. 12. Stipulations include: A letter be sent to Normandy Corp.

shareholders explaining restrictions of the Landmarks Law and the temporary restraining order. Plans for repair, renovation or installation of air conditioning and windows be submitted to the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. A shareholders meeting be held to inform them of the city's Landmarks Law and procedures and require- rt k. -4 rv rfFTPj 4 0 1 r.lffr 5 ffn 'iiit th" --f rrr flf fffc4- VM ill- unrm mm-Z. "-t xnjf-'.

1 ii 1 4 if- ii i nil -J fn rf -fii 'in i fin ii i emtk m-- taking the action to ensure that developers do not merely begin excavation and then apply for the tax abatements. "We are sure they will try to get 'grandfathered' in under the law." The 421-A program has been a favorite program of developers since it was enacted by the State Legislature in 1971. A study issued last year by the New York Public Interest Research Group concluded that 80 of the $100 million in tax breaks executive director of the Conservancy, "was that people didn't understand the law or didn't want to understand. It was just an hysterical situation." On Sept 26, the Normandy's board of directors was informed by the city's Landmarks Commission that it was calendered for a public hearing on Nov. 12., according to a Landmarks Commission spokesman.

And subsequently, two separate meetings were held with the co-op board, a group of shareholders and the commission. According to a commission spokesman, the board CIESIGriATED: The Normandy, 140 Riverside Drive. PAUL DMARIA DAILY NE'. was informed on Sept 28 that if any work was to be done on the building or in individual apartments, the plans would have to be reviewed by Use Landmarks Commission. "After a building is calendared," said a commission spokesman, "unapproved work cannot be done; otherwise, by the day of the hearing there might not be anything left" Both the city's Landmarks Commission and the Con-versancy provide technical assistance on renovation and rehabilitation of landmarked properties, Beckelman ments of (the Landmarks Commission.

The board of directors meet with the New York Landmarks Conservancy. Restraining order Friday's court action was the result of the Conservancy's being granted a temporary restraining order on Nov. 8, when it learned that some of the tenants in the building were replacing their windows and installing air conditioners despite that the building was on the official calendar of the New York City Landmarks Commission. "I think the problem," said Laurie Beckelman, the.