HDC Testimony on 837 Washington Street
Located within the Gansevoort Market Historic District:
Although small, this building has a history that distinctly reflects its time and place in the history of the Gansevoort Market. As described in the designation report, the “largely intact” building was built during the “last major phase of development in the district, when new low-scale buildings were constructed…for meat-related businesses.” The low scale redevelopment of the 1930’s was brought on by the construction of the elevated Miller Highway, elevated freight lines of the New York Central Rail Road, and Holland Tunnel, all of which allowed for easier access between the area and the metropolitan region. The designation report goes on to point out that such buildings are rare, late examples of the older market building typology constructed at a time when automobiles and super markets were quickly changing the look of grocery shopping throughout the nation. There are very specific reasons, related to the distinct history of this district, for why this building is low scale. The proposed alterations would change this historic building, its place in history and its relationship to other buildings in the district.
While this project could be interesting if not in an historic district, it is all wrong here. Too much of the ground floor is being opened up to make way for plates of glass. Reopening original openings is appropriate and welcomed, creating so many more is not. The adding of plantings does not take the character of the district into consideration, softening the building up too much to be recognized as a former meat market structure. The same is true of the greenery dripping from the balconies of the addition. In fact, it is misleading since the LPC does not regulate plantings as we are regularly reminded in applications in the suburban historic districts. The sheer size of the addition, roughly twice as tall as the existing building, makes it inappropriate. Before any consideration of how environmental or creative this addition is, you must determine its effect on the existing, contributing building. The existing historic building cannot compete with the proposed upper floors and will be ignored. The addition and facade alterations proposed are the visual equivalent of demolishing this landmarked structure, and HDC urges the commission to reject a proposal that would do any such thing.