April 20, 2010
LPC Docket Number: 106973
Brooklyn, Block: 1961, Lot: 1
465 Clinton Avenue – Clinton Hill Historic District
A neo-Renaissance style house designed by Mercein Thomas and built in 1902. Application is to construct rooftop and rear yard additions, create and alter masonry openings, alter the areaway; excavate the rear yard and replace the gate.
HDC Testimony
First off, I would like to note for the record that 465 Clinton Avenue is in the Clinton Hill Historic District, not the Cobble Hill Historic District as it is listed on the calendar.
HDC is opposed to most of this application as we find it adds significant unsympathetic and unneccessary alterations to this notable house.
465 Clinton Avenue and its sister house 463 are described in the Clinton Hill Historic District Designation Report as “a pair of extremely fine limestone houses”. They were designed by noted Brooklyn architect Mercein Thomas in 1902 and must have been considered significant buildings in the neighborhood as they were included two years later in “King’s Views of Brooklyn.” Sitting on a very prominent corner in the district, they continue to be admired over a century later.
The canopy of photovoltaic panels is an uneccessarily intrusion, topping off a house that is already finished with a very impressive cornice. Together with the elevator bulkhead, the additions are far too visible from too many locations. Instead the panels should be installed flat on the roof or in another configuration where they would not be visible, and ways to reduce the visibility of the bulkhead should be investigated. One suggestion, besides studying how to reduce the bulkhead’s size, would be to restore the balustrade seen in the 1904 photo
The proposed rear yard addition would be completely visible at this corner location. Not much space is gained by adding it to an already very large home, and it leads one to wonder why bother.
Finally, the deck and covered parking area have a rather suburban feel, and the steel sliding car gate has no place in this district. Board 30’s drawing of this part of the proposal with vines growing on it unfortunately brings to mind Frank Lloyd Wright’s quote “The physician can bury his mistakes, but the architect can only advise his client to plant vines.” HDC is afraid no amount of vines could mask what is proposed here.
LPC Determination: Incomplete
LPC Docket Number: 106632
Brooklyn, Block: 31, Lot: 14
114-205 Water Street – DUMBO Historic District
A vacant lot. Application is to construct new building.
HDC Testimony
HDC is, of course, disappointed to have to be testifying on new construction here at 205 Water Street. The 1900 E.W. Bliss Company, and later Brillo Company, building stood here as an authentic piece of the nieghborhood’s industrial past until its demolition in 2007 when the district was under consideration for landmarking but just months shy of calendaring.
Having said that though, we are pleasantly surprised to find a proposal for new construction that in general is contextual in its massing, size, materials, details, and overall style with other building in the historic district. Much credit goes to the applicant and the DUMBO Neighborhood Alliance for working together. Our main concern is he odd cantileavered boxes on the upper floors. This feature is not typical of buildings in this historic district, and it feels like it is trying to compete, although unsuccessfully, with the Manhattan Bridge. Another piece that is less troublesome, but could use some change, is the scale of the ground floor on the Water Street façade. It could be beefed up and made taller as bases of such buildings often are in general and as is the case on the neighboring structures. In general though, this project is a good example of the kind of contextual design that can take place in historic districts when the concerns and opinions of neighborhood advocates are considered and incorporated into the proposal. We look forward to seeing the finished product.
LPC Determination: Approved
LPC Docket Number: 107129
Manhattan, Block: 549, Lot: 1
Washington Square Park – Greenwich Village Historic District
A public park built in 1826 with subsequent alterations. Application is to construct a new building and install signage.
HDC Testimony
HDC would like to thank the Harry Kendall and George Schieferdecker for presenting this application to our Public Review Committee. Their explanation of the many special constraints and challenges of this project as well as the thought process behind the design were very helpful.
HDC’s main concern is with the materials chosen and the massing. From a practical standpoint, we fear the metal panels at the base will rust, looking shabby even with, or more likely exasperated by, frequent repainting. We find the use of granite is troublesome as it gives the building a very heavy appearance further reinforced by the hefty proportions of piers and pergola beams. Examples presented include the pergolla at the Conservatory Garden in Central Park, a fine model to use. Its combination of brick and stone detailing along with wrought iron creates a very light, almost folly-like addition to the garden. The overall effect of this proposal though feels too heavy and solid to be considered simply a pergola or other garden piece. Rather than growing up out of the ground, it appears to be sunk into it. With all the functions this structure has to fulfill in a limited space, perhaps it is not practical to aim for something so light or ephemeral and instead it should be considered outright as a building. If it is a building, it should then reference and take its cues not from park ornamens such as fountains and paving but from neighboring buildings in the slightly larger context of Washington Square.
This is an interesting case of a park within a historic district, not a purely scenic landmark of its own. Unlike parts of Central Park or Prospect Park where visitors can find themselves surrounded by the park, far removed from anything else, at Washington Square Park you can never forget you are in Washington Square. The two are intrinsically linked, physically, visually and historically. At the southeast corner of the district, the park is surrounded on the north and east sides by some of the city’s most splendid Greek Revival town houses. Together they created a place whose name epitomized mid-19th century elegance in New York City. The proposed does not draw from these fabled surroundings, and instead has more of the corporate feel drawing from the non-landmarked New York University structures to the south.
Finally, as for the signage, HDC finds it to be rather generic for a park of so much history and character.
LPC Determination: Incomplete
LPC Docket Number: 107059
Manhattan, Block: 619, Lot: 22
226 West 10th Street – Greenwich Village Historic District
A Greek Revival style rowhouse built in 1840. Application is to paint the primary façade.
HDC Testimony
226 West 10th Street is a remarkably intact Greek Revival style rowhouse. HDC does not object to its being painted, but there was concern that the proposed white would be awfully bright and ask that it be toned down some. We also feel that a lot of the wonderful detail of the house will be lost by painting trim areas such a dark shade of black. Particularly at the entrance, the details are wiped out and the result looks like a dark cave. The sidelights and transom trim should be a lighter shade, as they are now, to highlight the handsome entrance.
LPC Determination: Approved with modifications
LPC Docket Number: 106393
Manhattan, Block: 551, Lot: 122
7 MacDougal Alley – Greenwich Village Historic District
A studio building designed by John Bayley Day, built in 1899, and altered by C.R. Lamb in 1901. Application is to construct a pergola.
HDC Testimony
The Commission is fond of pergolas as are others whose opinion HDC respects, but in this case at 7 MacDougal Alley we find the proposed to be a little too prominent. It is constructed right up against the parapet of this rather small studio building, and we find the design to be too industrial or institutional. The plain metal boxed frame brings to mind netted rooftop playgounds, not a pergola. Much of the allure of Greenwich Village is in its secrets and surprises. One has to look carefully sometimes to find the individual pieces that make up its quirky charm. We ask that something more, for lack of a better word, coy – set back a bit, not so prominent – be designed here instead.
LPC Determination:Approved with modifications
LPC Docket Number: 085710
Manhattan, Block: 823, Lot: 1
676 6th Avenue – Ladies’ Mile Historic District
A neo-Renaissance style store building designed by Samuel B. Ogden built in 1900 and altered in 1963 Application is to install storefront infill and signage
HDC Testimony
HDC would like to thank the applicant for a clear presentation of very complete boards that included materials, colors, and historic photos. We sincerely wish more applications included these simple but very necessary components.
The infill proposed is better than the existing, but rather generic for a district of notable storefronts. We would prefer to see something that relates more to the building and its historic configurations. We are mainly concerned though with the red glass panels of the infill. HDC recommends that the red be used instead in the awnings, a more traditional and probably more eye-attracting location for the color.
LPC Determination: Incomplete
LPC Docket Number: 106130
Brooklyn, Block: 5117, Lot: 1
1306 Albemarle Road – Prospect Park South Historic District
A Colonial Revival Style house designed by John J. Petit and built in 1905. Application is to alter secondary facades and additions.
HDC Testimony
HDC would like to compliment and thank the applicant for a fine proposal. The combination of good materials and thoughtful design consistent with the rest of this 1905 house will do much to improve an already lovely home. Like so many secondary facades, these have been mistreated over the years, and it is refreshing to see attention, time and money being spent to sympathetically improve them.
LPC Determination: Approved