LPC-26-01542
112th Avenue at 177th Street – Addisleigh Park Historic District
BINDING REPORT
A historic district comprised predominantly of free-standing houses with lawns, and concrete sidewalks with green verge strips. Application is to install bioswales and a sidewalk and retaining wall.
The Historic Districts Council welcomes the proposed bioswales in the Addisleigh Park Historic District, where the neighborhood’s landscaped character—defined by lawns, trees, and green verge strips—is an important part of its historic identity. Thoughtfully integrated bioswales can build on this character while making the streetscape greener and more resilient.
As increasingly heavy rainstorms place greater pressure on the city’s infrastructure, HDC supports finding practical ways to manage stormwater that are also sensitive to the character of historic neighborhoods. In this case, the introduction of planted areas can serve an important environmental function while reinforcing the green, pedestrian-friendly qualities that distinguish Addisleigh Park.
The design demonstrates the continued vitality and adaptability of historic districts in meeting the city’s most urgent infrastructure needs. We hope the pilot will be replicated in other historic districts across the city.
LPC-26-12066
39-88 44th Street – Sunnyside Gardens Historic District
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
A simplified Colonial Revival style rowhouse designed by Clarence Stein and Henry Wright and built in 1927. Application is to construct a rooftop dormer.
Architect: Hue Architects
The Historic Districts Council does not object to the proposed rooftop dormer in principle, but its visibility and the possibility that it may establish a precedent for future dormers in Sunnyside Gardens make careful design especially important.
HDC recommends revising the dormer to better relate to the architectural details of the house. The window muntins and pane proportions should be consistent with the main house’s windows, and the dormer’s roof should have a lighter, more refined profile. In addition, the rake and eave details should be in keeping with those of the main house, including the addition of a gutter and leader.
The dormer at 39-12 45th St, shown in the application materials, offers a more considered model for detailing. HDC encourages the applicant to use this opportunity to establish a strong precedent for any future dormers in the district.
LPC-26-08779
406-410 MacDonough Street – Bedford-Stuyvesant/Expanded Stuyvesant Heights Historic District
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
A Utilitarian style garage building built in 1916. Application is to demolish the building and construct a new building.
Architect: STUDIOSC
The Historic Districts Council finds the proposed new building generally appropriate in its scale, massing, and relationship to the varied architectural character of this block. We particularly appreciate the decision to align the building with the predominant front yard line of the neighboring rowhouses.
However, the base of the front façade feels somewhat underdeveloped. We encourage the applicant to look more closely at the masonry detailing found on surrounding historic buildings and consider how this vocabulary might inform a richer and more articulated treatment of the base.
HDC also has concerns about the rear façade, which reads as disconnected from the front of the building. The brick veneer on the cantilevered decks in particular feels architecturally unconvincing. We encourage the applicant to consider carrying the front façade brick to the rear and further refining the cantilevered decks to create a more cohesive and understated addition to the neighborhood.