April 13, 2004
Statement of the Historic Districts Council
before the Landmarks Preservation Commission
Certificate of Appropriateness Hearing
The Historic Districts Council is the advocate
for New York City’s designated historic districts and neighborhoods
meriting preservation. Its Public Review Committee monitors proposed
changes within historic districts and changes to individual landmarks
and has reviewed these applications that were before the Commission.
Hearing Date: April 13, 2004
LPC Docket Number: 043810
Manhattan, Block: 522, Lot: 7501
330 Lafayette Street - NoHo Historic District
A Romanesque Revival style warehouse building designed by George
Keister and built in 1895-1896, with a later addition in 1897.
Application is to replace windows on the 8th floor.
HDC Testimony
The Historic Districts Council is pleased that the applicant is
proposing for the eighth floor new windows with arch-headed upper
sashes. The existing windows that have flat-headed upper sashes
placed in the arched openings detract from the building’s
original architectural intent. We commend the applicant for rectifying
this unfortunate situation.
That said, HDC cannot support the installation
of custom clad sub-sills at each of the window openings on the
eighth floor. The addition of the sub-sills creates windows that
are short, squat, and generally ill-proportioned. Even if the
new sills are not visible from the street, the resulting change
in the proportion of the window sashes will be highly discernable.
Moreover, HDC is concerned that the new brick moldings around
the window do not match the existing historic brick moldings.
We ask the Commission to require the applicant to maintain the
original window proportions and retain the historic brick moldings.
Otherwise, we fear that this application will be a precedent for
other ill-proportioned window replacements in this building and
in the NoHo Historic District.
Lastly, HDC requests that the applicant reconsider
the proposed “desert beige” color for the windows.
Late nineteenth century buildings like this one did not have light
colored windows. Therefore, the windows on the eighth floor should
be painted a dark color to set the precedent for the rest of the
building.
LPC Determination: Approved
Hearing Date: April 13, 2004
LPC Docket Number: 045035
Manhattan, Block: 612, Lot: 43
49 Charles Street - Greenwich Village Historic District
An Italianate style rowhouse built in 1869 with a two-story rear
extension built in 1927 and designed by Vincent M. Cajano. Application
is to legalize the installation of a tile shed roof in non-compliance
with Certificate of Appropriateness 01-4024
HDC Testimony
The Historic Districts Council cannot support this legalization.
In 2001, the Landmarks Preservation Commission and its staff carefully
reviewed this project and determined how an appropriate tile shed
roof should be constructed. Unfortunately, the pent roof that
was built is not what the Commission and its staff intended when
it issued the permits for the building renovations. The existing
tile structure is too flat, bulky and unarticulated. Moreover,
the dark-colored boxy-piece that hangs beneath the tiles is awkward
and inappropriate to this type of pent roof.
HDC asks the Commission to require the applicants
to do what they should have done in the first place – comply
with the Certificate of Appropriateness the LPC issued.
LPC Determination: Denied
Hearing Date: April 13, 2004
LPC Docket Number: 041687
Manhattan, Block: 824, Lot: 47
14 West 23rd Street - Ladies' Mile Historic District
A commercial dwelling constructed in 1857 and altered in 1892
by George H. Budlong. Application to alter windows at the second
floor which were installed without Landmarks Preservation Commission
permits.
HDC Testimony
The Historic Districts Council wholeheartedly regrets the loss
of the historic windows on the second floor of 14 West 23rd Street,
which were specifically called out in the Ladies’ Mile designation
report. The report states, “On the second story there are
pivoting wood sash windows, which are surmounted by multi-paned
transoms, dating from an alteration in 1907.”
The Landmarks Preservation Commission cannot reward
the applicant for the destruction of these wonderful windows by
approving the utterly inappropriate proposal before us today.
Wood moldings applied to the exterior of the existing, illegal
aluminum windows are not an adequate substitute for the historic
windows. The proposed solution does not restore the original window
configuration with real divided lights nor does it restore the
operation of the original windows, which had pivoting middle sections.
The Historic Districts Council urges the Landmarks
Commission to deny this proposal and require the applicant to
restore the original window type that was removed without permission.
LPC Determination: Denied
Hearing Date: April 13, 2004
LPC Docket Number: 045099
Queens, Block: 8025, Lot: 55
5 Grosvenor Street - Douglaston Historic District
A Mediterranean Revival style house built in 1922 designed by
Bradley Delehanty. Application is to construct a one-story addition
and to enclose an existing porch.
HDC Testimony
The Historic Districts Council believes that the applicant’s
treatment of the front façade will improve the look of
this house. In particular, the addition of the shutters on the
front of the building will bring interest to this façade,
which is overly spare.
On the rear façade, however, HDC objects
to the installation of an external spiral staircase. Such a staircase
does not match the style of this Mediterranean Revival house and
is therefore highly inappropriate. The staircase will be extremely
visible from Shore Road, especially in the winter when there are
no leaves on the tress. In fact, photos numbers 1 and 3 on the
presentation boards illustrate just how visible this new staircase
will be. In addition, the staircase appears to be redundant with
other doors on the rear façade. Moreover the staircase
leads up to a roof with only a three-foot parapet, which is six
inches shorter than is allowed for an ocuppied roof. HDC questions
whether the applicant is proposing a railing at the roof level
to ensure that the roof meets the building code.
HDC could support this application if the spiral
staircase were eliminated.
LPC Determination: No Action
Hearing Date: April 13, 2004
LPC Docket Number: 045354
Staten Island, Block: 32, Lot: 28
228 Hamilton Avenue - Saint George/New Brighton Historic District
A Queen Anne style free-standing house, designed by Daniel J.
Cahalane and built in 1908. Application is to modify façade
alterations that were made without Landmarks Preservation Commission
permits.
HDC Testimony
The Historic Districts Council was pleased when the Landmarks
Preservation Commission denied last January this applicant’s
proposal to legalize the multitude of inappropriate changes made
to 228 Hamilton Avenue. While the applicant’s current proposal
is better than the illegal conditions that exist, HDC in general
believes that it does not go far enough to make up for extent
of the damage already done.
In particular, HDC questions the use of cedar
shakes and believes that the house would have originally had wood
clapboard and sculpted shingles. HDC also notes that the semicircular
window proposed for the gable appears to be too large in comparison
with the size of the gable. We question the window’s proportions
and ask that the new window replicate exactly the window that
was illegally removed. In addition, HDC finds it regrettable that
the applicant has chosen a black asphalt roof. A gray roof, like
the one that was in place at designation, would be much more appropriate
to a building of this age and style. We ask the Commission not
to legalize the new roof and to require the applicant to re-shingle
the roof in a grey material the next time the roof needs replacement.
LPC Determination: No Action
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