BUILDINGS SAVED

three buildings slated for destruction by columbia university were last week deemed historically significant by the state's historic preservation office. assembly member daniel o'donnell, a critic of columbia's plan to raze the buildings, submitted an application to the office in an effort to save residential buildings, at 408, 410 and 412 w. 115th st. between amsterdam avenue and riverside drive. together with west 116th street and morningside drive, the buildings could be a part of the morningside drive historic district on the state and national registers of historic places.

the state's historical preservation office decided the buildings were cohesive, close to morningside park and designed by prominent architects. the five-story buildings were developed before subways extended into the neighborhood.

"i am pleased that the state's historic preservation office conducted a review of these buildings and saw their merits," o'donnell said in a statement. "i am confident that any unbiased survey of these buildings and of the larger neighborhood would determine that the architecture of morningside heights is worthy of all the protections that local and state government can afford."