November 18, 2003
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: 11/18/2003
LPC Docket Number: 03-5334
Brooklyn, Blocks 1915, 1916, 1917; lots - various
232, 256. 245, 253, 265 Clinton Avenue; 263, 267, 271 Waverly
Avenue; and 290 Washington Avenue
Clinton Hill Historic District.
Application is to establish a master plan for signage throughout
the St. Joseph’s College campus.
HDC Testimony
St. Joseph’s College has long be a
stabilizing institution in the Clinton Hill Historic District,
and while the Historic Districts Council recognizes the college’s
need to increase its visibility on the campus, we object to the
proposal before us today. The proposed master plan introduces
too many signs that are entirely too large. The twenty-some proposed
signs that fall within the historic district as well as those
signs that are placed just outside of the district will completely
overwhelm and dominate this small college campus. In particular,
the 6-feet tall signs, which are larger than an average person,
will be entirely too overbearing on the wonderful architecture
of the Clinton Hill neighborhood. We ask the Commission to work
with St. Joseph’s College to develop a master plan for signage
that has less of an impact on the historic district.
LPC Determination:
No Action
Hearing Date: 11/18/2003
LPC Docket Number: 035002
Manhattan, Block 821, lot 21
28 West 20th Street - Ladies' Mile Historic District
A neo-Renaissance style store and loft building constructed in
1902-02 designed by H. Waring Howard, Jr. Application is to install
new ground floor infill on the West 19th Street façade.
HDC Testimony
The Historic Districts Council asks the applicant to look to the
West 20th Street storefront of this through-the-block neo-Renaissance
style store and loft building for an example of how the West 19th
Street storefront should be designed. As
the two facades of this building are identical in design, it is
assumed that their storefronts would have also been identical.
The West 20th Street storefront is nearly intact, and thus provides
the applicant with a good indication of how glass, bulkhead, and
door of the proposed storefront should be designed.
HDC questions whether the
applicant is proposing to install security gates. If so, we ask
that the gates be interior and not exterior. In addition, we ask
the applicant to clean the graffiti on the storefront, as it is
an eyesore in the Ladies’ Mile Historic District.
LPC Determination: No Action
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