A report from the front by HDC’s Nadezhda Williams on the public hearing at the LPC on January 9th. For a report on the Burling Slip playground, which was also heard that day, see here.

The AT&T building and its interior were landmarked in July, and already a proposal for some rather major changes has been submitted – and approved. See above for images.

The application was to alter first floor infill (entrances, etc.) making the building handicapped accessible. These alterations were rather harmless. Like your mother always said, it’s what inside that counts. The interior is to be divided into the private lobby and entrance for the office tenants, three retail spaces (each with an escalator and elevator to the basement level for more store space), and the “galleria” (a hallway stretching the length of the building along Broadway.) The divisions will be made with clear glass partitions standing 30 feet tall, the full height of the space. With the divisions, changes in the lighting and sprinkler systems (both of which affect the ceiling) would also be needed.

The applicant’s presentation lasted over an hour and a half. There was a computer animated walk through (that seemed to wow the crowd) and Bill Higgins trying to make a rationale for dividing the space into retail (in the 1920’s there was a small jewelry store, a bank of phone booths and an area where customers could pay their AT&T bill and send telegrams.) Part of the presentation (and two of the boards) discussed the Fulton Street Transit Center, although there is no actual connection between the two plans. Basically the theory went that the “galleria” would serve as another walkway along Broadway between Dey and Fulton Streets, and hence be used by commuters, thus making it part of the transportation hub. It seemed like a stretch to me, but apparently anything that can link a project to the “revitalization” of downtown is fair game. There was also the matter of security. Right now the lobby is not public because of “security issues.” With the inclusion of retail space, though, somehow the space becomes safe and the public can enjoy (forget Homeland Security, we just need more malls.)

HDC, of course, testified against anything that would take away from the pristinely simple, yet grand, neo-Classical lobby with its forest of columns. Our testimony pointed out that the proposal only shows what the space would look like with the glass partitions, and not with all the other trappings of retail such as signage, retail furniture and merchandise. No other preservation groups spoke against the proposal (some BID types spoke in favor).

The commissioners had lots of questions about what the space will look like with actual retail in it. It was explained that since there were no tenants yet, no such plans could be shown (although other proposals have appeared before the commission that included made-up businesses and signage.) They were assured that anything attached to the interior, such as permanent signage, will come before commission. At the end of 2 hours, they voted to approve the proposal with Commissioner Stephen Byrnes abstaining.

Here are the commissioners’ comments:
Commissioner Richard Olcott: “amazed at the presentation”, very nervous about retail, but believes the owner will find the right tenants
Commissioner Joan Gerner: feels space is so tall that there will still be open space above, so the retail divisions do not matter much; “real class presentation and proposal”
Commissioner Stephen Byrns: “betwixt”, worried about the “forest of columns” and its partitioning with retail; suggested 2 retail spaces in order to prevent cutting the floor a third time for elevators and escalators
Commissioner Margery Perlmutter: commended presentation (“gorgeous, well thought out”), but what will it look like when retail moves in? Crowding creates “opaqueness”, and escalators and elevators compete with the architecture.
Commissioner Libby Ryan: very pretty adaptive reuse; even if crowded and blocked for the first 10 feet, plenty of space above to admire
Commissioner Pablo Vengoechea: excellent, thorough (long!) presentation; issues with retail, there should be very strict guidelines; not happy with 3 sets and escalators and elevators (suggests 1 of the retail spaces be limited to one floor)
Commissioner Christopher Moore: excellent, thoughtful presentation; the “reality check” is what will the space look like with retail? Be careful.
Commissioner Tom Pike: must carefully regulate interior, be very vigilant; this has the potential of moving “in a bad direction.”
Chairman Bob Tierney: happy to “animate the space”, “check and balance as we go forward”.

HDC was the meanie of the day opposing retail that revive downtown, a playground and a church wanting to add stained glass windows. The plan for Marble Collegiate Reformed Church called for a master plan to govern the removal of 19th-century leaded glass windows and the addition of three stained glass windows to the main façade. The center window over the entrance would be lit from the interior each day until 10:00 PM, and its tracery would be removed.

HDC objected to the plan as it changed this very simple, elegant structure, basically a stone rendition of a typical New England-style meetinghouse, into something it is not. The proposed windows were rather flamboyant and competed with the staid architecture. (Actually, “tarted up” was the phrase thrown out at the public review committee meeting, but we refined our language a bit.) No other preservation group spoke on the proposal.

The commissioners were fine with the glass change, but objected to removing the tracery of the center window. Commissioner Pike, acknowledging that he was “in the business”, did comment that the illuminated window was rather like an illuminated sign, but there was no further discussion on that matter. The applicants were told to rework their proposal to include the retention of the tracery.

Docket 07-3512
655 6th Avenue – Ladies’ Mile Historic District

The former Hugh O’Neill Dry Goods Store has been undergoing a restoration as it is converted into condomini
ums. Most recently the preservation community cheered at the return of the gold corner cupolas. This application was to establish a Master Plan governing the future installation of storefront infill and signage.

The item had been laid over Friday morning of Public Review (the project had not been presented to the community board), only to be returned to the schedule in the afternoon. No boards were provided, just a small booklet. There were not enough details provided to really judge the proposal (for example, was curved glass planned for the corners like there was originally?). With that to go on, there wasn’t much for HDC to say. What we did testify to was that we had a general feeling that it was not enough of a restoration. The proposed look nicer than the present, but there was not enough historic background for the changes.

The commissioners seemed to agree. They thought it was “nice,” but needed more – more three-dimensionality, more layers of detail, more thought. As Commissioner Gerner said, it wasn’t a “first class” proposal and was sent back for more work.

Docket 07-3796
83-09 35th Avenue – Jackson Heights Historic District

Last summer bad things happened at Cedar Courts, a 1925 neo-Romanesque garden apartment building in the heart of the Jackson Heights Historic District. Thanks to the vigilance of the Jackson Heights Beautification Group and other concerned residents, illegal work was finally brought to a stop and now restoration must begin.

Without LPC approval or Department of Buildings permits, the property owner Urban American, LLC began renovations. Original terracotta dolphins, iron gates and fencing, brick piers, lighting fixtures, and other materials were discarded, and a new fence and gate were installed. Despite LPC and DOB violation issues and stop work orders, work continued. The application was to legalize the work and create a Master Plan for the future installation of windows (that plan, by the way, proposed to replace original 6 over 6 and 8 over 8 windows.)

Chairman Tierney began the comments by bluntly stating “Nothing can be legalized” and everything must be restored. The commissioners all agreed and turned down the master plan to replace the windows.

Urban American has purchased 20 other properties recently, some of them also within this historic district. Hopefully, they will not attempt to repeat this pattern.

Docket 07-2066
452 Fifth Avenue – Knox Building (Individual Landmark)

By 6:30 PM, after 9 hours of public hearing, I could take no more. Bill Higgins was back for another big presentation, this time the Knox building. Jack Taylor kindly stayed to read HDC’s testimony and then, equally tired, left. No action was taken by the commissioners according to LPC’s website, but we don’t know any of the juicy details.

HDC was opposed to this proposal to install new storefront infill and its accompanying application for a 74-711. The restoration proposed is barely that: the bays on the north-east corner being replaced do not appropriately project as they did originally. The piers being “restore” are from the 1965 renovation, not the original design. HDC did not believe this work deserved to be rewarded with a 74-711, and especially not for a buildings whose design is as inappropriate as that proposed (a 32-story, crownless, flat building that did not contribute to or harmonize with its Bryant Park location.)