May 19, 2009

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 the following application that was before the Commission.

Hearing Date: 5/19/2009
LPC Docket Number: 097107
Manhattan, Block: 642, Lot: 1
113 Jane Street - Individual Landmark Historic District
A neo-Classical style building designed by William A. Boring and built in 1907-1908. Application is to construct rooftop additions.

HDC Testimony
While it appears the pergola designed in 1909 was never built, HDC could approve its addition now even with the visability. Our approval though is dependent upon the restoration of the cupola, one of the most distinctive pieces of this building. Just as commissioners pointed out, this would be a perfect use of 74-711. If anything is to be added to the roof of this individual landmark, first it should be a piece that existed and defined the building.

LPC Determination: Incomplete

Hearing Date: 5/19/2009
LPC Docket Number: 096816
Manhattan, Block: 699, Lot: 5
547 West 27th Street - West Chelsea Historic District
An American Round Arch style factory building designed by Williams Higginson and built in 1899-1900. Application is to install storefront infill and stretch banners.

HDC Testimony
HDC finds the proposed storefronts to be rather plain - understandable for former opening bays – but we do feel there are a few changes that could make them more sympathetic to the rest of the historic factory building. The bare aluminum calls too much attention to itself and instead should be painted a darker finish like the windows in the upper floors, tieing the storefront into the building better. Also there appears to be little or no depth to the storefront. Like others on the building, the storefront should be set back from its opening.

As for the banners, LPC has been strict not to permit such advertising in other historically industrial neighborhoods like the TriBeCa's and SoHo, often at art galleries. HDC urges you to do the same here and encourages the applicant to work with staff on more appropriate signage.

LPC Determination: Incomplete

Hearing Date: 5/19/2009
LPC Docket Number: 097692
Manhattan, Block: 719, Lot: 3
469 West 21st Street - Chelsea Historic District
An Italianate style rowhouse built in 1853. Application is to install lightposts, construct rear yard and rooftop additions, alter the rear facade, and install mechanical equipment on the roof.

HDC Testimony
While HDC is glad to hear that this proposal has been altered to the comments of the Community Board, we find that there are some further changes to be made before it can be found appropriate. The upper rear facade of this rowhouse are very visible from a number of vantage points - all the more reason to apply the usual rule of keeping the top floor fenestration, and possibly even the top two floors. The visibility also makes the proposed dormer inappropriate at this location.

The expansion of the existing rear addition by filling in the corners seems like a lot of work for little extra space. Although not original, the addition is featured on the 1896 Sanborn map (like the neighboring addition), and we urge the applicant to reconsider and retain the special shape.

Also we question the addition of lightposts and whether those of the neighbors are histoirc.

LPC Determination: Approved

Hearing Date: 5/19/2009
LPC Docket Number: 098128
Manhattan, Block: 822, Lot: 58
30-32 West 21st Street - Ladies' Mile Historic District
A neo-Renaissance style store and loft building designed by Buchmans & Fox and built in 1907, and a vacant lot. Application is to install a fence, HVAC equipment, paving and planters.

HDC Testimony
As pleasant as private planted courtyards can be, they are not typical of the Ladies ‘Mile, particularly one that is fully visible from the public way. This area is known for its important role in the history of commerce, not one for gardens and yards. The proposed has an inauthentic feel of pretending to be in another district. HDC recommends a more utilitarian use and look for this space or some way of making the garden less visible from the public way be explored.

LPC Determination: Incomplete

 

Hearing Date: 5/19/2009
LPC Docket Number: 097556
Manhattan, Block: 1200, Lot: 9, 10-
43-45 West 86th Street - Upper West Side/Central Park West Historic District
Two Georgian Revival style rowhouses designed by John H. Duncan and built in 1895-1896. Application is to combine two buildings, construct rooftop and rear yard additions and alter the facades.

HDC Testimony
When two or more buildings are being combined, the Commission always asks that they retain their individual nature, no matter what is going on on the inside, for example at 57-61 East 90th Street and 258-262 West 88th Street last year and 38-40 East 76th Street in 2007. So with this in mind, the rooftop and rear yard additions should be redesigned to delineate the two buildings. Also, in accordance to typical policies the Commission has applied in the past, the rear yard addition should not reach the upper floor most in order to retain the historic fenestration of the rowhouses. Although community facilities are allowed to build to the lot line by zoning, HDC requests that it not in this case. While most of the south part of this block has larger apartment buildings, the north side (in addition to these two rowhouses and a neighbor) have a beautiful garden core. This open feeling should not be encroached upon if at all possible.

On the front facade, HDC is opposed to the removal of the 45 West 86th’s stoop. Although not the original stoop, it was built by the time of the tax photo. Recently, the Commission required the retention of remnants of the stoop at 243 West 76th Street. If remains of a stoop can not be removed, an entire stoop certainly should not. 85 is the only building of the trio retain its stoop giving all the more reason to save it.

HDC also finds the fence on the roof to be too visible and question whether the rooftop additions will really not be visible on such a wide street as West 86th.

Finally, HDC is disturbed by what appears to be a case of demolishing two buildings, leaving nothing but the facade, and building anew behind it. Whatever is eventually approved, we ask that LPC monitor the work very closely to ensure the safety of both these two buildings and their third sister rowhouse.

LPC Determination: Incomplete

 

Hearing Date: 5/19/2009
LPC Docket Number: 096415
Brooklyn, Block: 154, Lot: 17
372 Fulton Street - Individual Landmark Historic District
A late-Italianate style townhouse with restaurant, built circa 1870. Applciation is to modify interior features.

HDC Testimony
HDC is happy to see that the old Gage & Tollner has found a tenant, and one who seems to appreciate its landmark status and understand the process that has to be followed to make alterations.

Few public interiors in the city evoke the Victorian “Gay Nineties” like Gage & Tollner, and we ask that any new features in the restaurant recall this era. The new counter is rather blocky and should instead look to the historic bar for its design details, shape, depth, etc. The arched mirrors on the walls are called out by the designation report as special features, giving the 25 x 90-foot room a “remarkable sense of spaciousness” not to mention helped light the space. These mirrors should be retained on the rear wall behind the new counter to maintain this sense. Certainly, wood flooring would be more appropriate than tile – extra upkeep, but worth it. Finally we were wondering what the new booths will look like as they will be major additions to the space. Again, we recommend that they follow the curvilinear and arched shapes that help define this landmarked interior.

As the designation report concludes, “Gage & Tollner has one of the few remaining authentic Victorain interiors in the City , a reminder of the quality of life in the “Gay Nineties”, of equal interest to the connoisseur and to the gourmet.” While LPC cannot regulate use or menus, you should regulate the special sense of place of this interior landmark.

LPC Determination: Incomplete

Hearing Date: 5/19/2009
LPC Docket Number: 098545
Manhattan, Block: 1378, Lot: 22
713 Madison Avenue - Upper East Side Historic District
A neo-Grec style rowhouse designed by Charles Baxter, built in 1877 and latered in 1915. Application is to install a new storefront.

HDC Testimony
While we understand the nature of Madison Avenue storefronts and the guidelines LPC created to continue their change, HDC finds this application to be too extreme. The trellis-patterned glass is interesting, but there is far too much it and too little of anything else. The visual result is an 1877 neo-Grec style rowhouse with out two bottom floors. We ask that more masonry or metal be added to the storefront to help ground the building.

LPC Determination: Approved w/mods

 

Return to Recent Testimony