But preservationists see the commission as a bulwark against the demolition and neglect of historic structures, and against overbuilding. Some said they were particularly troubled by the lack of any public discussion before next week’s vote.

“These buildings were calendared for a reason, because they have historic merit, and now they could be gone,” said Simeon Bankoff, executive director of the Historic Districts Council, a preservation advocacy group.

The vote would not mean that any of the properties were in immediate peril, and Ms. Srinivasan said that buildings that still have broad public support to be designated a landmark could be reconsidered in the future.

But Paul Graziano, a historic-building consultant in Queens, said that just getting a property calendared took time. “It can take years just to make it that far, and by then, the buildings could be destroyed,” he said.

Properties can remain in landmarks commission limbo for various reasons, including outcry from an owner who does not want the city limiting what can be done, or from elected officials who say their neighborhoods need more housing.

The commission is often loath to designate buildings over owners’ objections, because they then become the wardens of the properties. Many of the buildings being put to a vote are churches, which are often short on money and cherish the freedom to sell or modify their buildings to keep themselves afloat.

Beverly Moss Spatt, the commission chairwoman from 1974 to 1978, also said that the agency never had the resources to fully research and consider each property. “I think they have the resources they need today, certainly more than in my day, but do they have the will?” she said.