Some DUMBO residents are celebrating a small step in their battle to have the area designated as a landmark.The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission held a public meeting Thursday to discuss the neighborhood's fate. Many who attended the meeting are pushing to have a five-block area, from Main to Bridge streets, deemed a historic district. Unique stores and architecture line the blocks.

DUMBO homeowner Milton Herder wants to make sure the area retains its uniqueness. However, he has concerns about the meeting. "It's an opportunity for someone who wants to get in there quickly and do some inappropriate building to do so," said Herder. While he supports preserving the neighborhood, he fears the meeting will serve as a red flag to opportunistic developers.

When the city designates an area a historic district, owners cannot change building exteriors without permission from the city. The commission has not set a deadline for when it will make a decision on DUMBO.