HDC regularly reviews every public proposal affecting Individual Landmarks and buildings within Historic Districts in New York City, and when needed, we comment on them. Our testimony for the latest items to be presented at the Landmarks Preservation Commission is below.
Item 3
88 Franklin Street – TriBeCa East Historic District
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS, Docket #1938600
A neo-Grec style store and loft building designed by J. Morgan Slade and built in 1881-83. Application is to install glass railings and planters at the roof.
HDC finds the installation of glass railings at the roof inappropriate. The pieces of glass are too large and too visible. Consequentially, this raises concerns about the reflectiveness of the glass and the potential for the railing to appear even more visible as a result. The placement of glass railings in a historically industrial neighborhood is inappropriate. If the goal of installing such large pieces of glass is to raise the height of the railing for safety purposes, HDC recommends that the applicant explore other options to achieve this goal, such as raising the height of the already existing and contextually appropriate picket.
LPC determination: Approved
Item 6
128 West 70th Street – Upper West Side/Central Park West Historic District
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS, Docket #1927914
A neo-Grec/Queen Anne style rowhouse designed by Charles H. Lindsley and built in 1881-83. Application is to enlarge a rooftop addition, construct a stair bulkhead, raise an existing chimney, and install mechanical equipment and railings.
This proposed addition is inappropriate in both its materiality and its bulk. The addition extends all the way out to the rear wall and uncomfortably extrudes vertically without a setback. Additionally, the large window and door openings at the rear façade, and the dark metal cladding are all unsympathetic to the structure. This historic rowhouse is deserving of better treatment, and thus, HDC recommends that any additions to it should be done with appropriate, contextual materials.
LPC determination: No Action
Item 7
915 West End Avenue – Riverside – West End Extension II Historic District
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS, Docket #1935643
A Renaissance Revival style apartment building designed by Rosario Candela and built in 1922. Application is to install a canopy.
HDC appreciates the provision of historic evidence submitted as a part of this application. While the new canopy’s design is being informed by the historic photograph, the canopy in 1927 obscured the masonry opening of the entry. From the rendering, it appears that this mistake may happen again. We ask that any new canopy fit within the masonry and allow it to be legible.
LPC determination: Approved