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 1
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
BOROUGH OF QUEENS
171811- Block 8035, lot 47-
363 Grosvenor Street – Douglaston Historic District
A Colonial Revival style house designed by Josephine Wright Chapman and built in 1916. Application is to alter window and door openings.
The enclosure of the porch was an unfortunate alteration, and the inappropriate picture window installed in this space disrupted the symmetry and proportions of this house. The Committee wonders why there is a need for a main door entry in this location, as inserting an off-the-shelf door within an off-the-shelf window will only further confound the appearance of this house, not ameliorate it.
LPC determination: APPROVED
Item 2
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
BOROUGH OF BROOKLYN
171963- Block 295, lot 21-
350 Henry Street – Cobble Hill Historic District
A French Renaissance Revival style hospital building designed by Marshall Emery and built in 1896-97. Application is to modify masonry openings, alter a ramp, remove and construct rooftop bulkheads, remove a sidewalk bridge and skylights, replace brickwork; and install planters, railings, balconies, louvers, and an awning.
A French Renaissance Revival style hospital building designed by Marshall Emery and built in 1896-97. Application is to modify masonry openings, alter a ramp, remove and construct rooftop bulkheads, remove a sidewalk bridge and skylights, replace brickwork; and install planters, railings, balconies, louvers, and an awning.
LPC determination: APPROVED w/mods
Item 3
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN
153018- Block 97, lot 44-
136 Beekman Street – South Street Seaport Historic District
A townhouse designed by Richard Cook and built in 1999 pursuant to Certificate of Appropriateness 99-0133. Application is to construct a rooftop addition.
These additions don’t quite fit on these buildings, which were sensitively designed for this historic district in 1999. A design that succeeded in restraint and context will now call attention to itself. Currently, the existing buildings take a back seat to the historic architecture surrounding them. The new proposal will undercut the benefits of the previous design.
LPC determination: APPROVED
Item 4&5
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN
156108- Block 521, lot 30-
308-312 Mott Street –
156109- Block 521, lot 34-
314-316 Mott Street
NoHo East Historic District
A neo-Classical style multiple dwelling building designed by Schneider & Herter and built in 1901-02 and altered by Michael J. Mongiello in 1925 and by Harry Hurwitz in 1941. Application is to alter the façade.
HDC commends the applicant for re-exposing the decorative termination on this troubled ground floor, and for incorporating some horizontal features, recalling its past design. The Committee feels that this design could go a little further and have some articulation at the bottom, so that the stucco does not collide with the sidewalk, as it does now and is why it appears so brutal.
There was a discrepancy between the rendering and the elevation regarding the lintels: in the former, they extend past the openings, in the latter, adhere to the openings. HDC found the lintels as they appear in the rendering preferable. We would also like clarification as to why an awning is absent from one of the three entrances.
LPC determination: APPROVED w/mods
Item 10
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN
173166- Block 619, lot 50-
333-335 Bleecker Street – Greenwich Village Historic District
A vernacular house built in 1830. Application is to install storefront infill.
HDC found the proposed storefront entirely unsympathetic to this building and the streetscape. The charming, restrained storefront is successful as it is completely symmetrical with its host buildings. One would be better off leaving the existing and working with what you’ve got.
LPC determination: APPROVED w/mods
Item 12
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN
174935- Block 622, lot 50-
280 West 4th Street – Greenwich Village Historic District
An altered Greek Revival style rowhouse built in 1841. Application is to modify window openings and excavate a sub-cellar level.
HDC finds this proposal utterly egregious. How much is enough? One dreams of owning a single rowhouse in the coveted Greenwich Village, while this project will turn three rowhouses into a single, enormous mansion, and effectively eliminated eleven apartments in the process. That said, HDC finds excavation completely unnecessary, and an affront to the fragility to the surrounding ancient buildings on this block.
LPC determination: APPROVED
Item 13
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN
172280- Block 619, lot 26-
346 Bleecker Street – Greenwich Village Historic District
An Art Deco style apartment building designed by J. M. Felson and constructed in 1928. Application is to alter the ground floor, and install storefront infill and a projecting sign.
This building is called out in its designation for having “special corner treatment.” Extending this large window into the corner will effectually disrupt this; it seems that the proposed storefront forgets that it has an Art Deco skyscraper sitting above it. This is a rare case where there is a positively crisp historic photo exists of the original storefront, and HDC suggests that inspiration be drawn from this when approaching the new design, as the glass without mullions seems ill-fitting.
LPC determination: NO ACTION
Item 14
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN
174506- Block 590, lot 63-
17 Barrow Street – Greenwich Village Historic District
A modified Federal style rowhouse built in 1834. Application is to legalize façade alterations completed without Landmarks Preservation Commission permit(s) and to install storefront infill.
The lost arch, while not original, was a recognized and character-defining feature of Greenwich Village, whose existence pre-dated the 1940 tax photograph. The arch was illegally discarded without permission, and the only consolation was that another non-original, but historic, cast-iron storefront was found hiding beneath. The case could be made that exposing the cast iron beam and columns could have been found appropriate by the LPC had the applicant applied to do this. What is confounding is that after the historic arch was ripped off to expose historic material, the applicant proposes today only to cover up the historic material that they just discovered, and cover it in a treatment suitable to their taste. Everything about this application is selfish, and we implore the Commission to discuss in detail which is appropriate: restoring the historic arch; or, restoring the historic cast iron, as the current “ask” is not an option at this point.
LPC determination: NO ACTION
Item 15
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN
171879- Block 621, lot 48-
74 Perry Street – Greenwich Village Historic District
A Second Empire style rowhouse designed by Robert Mook and built in 1899. Application is to construct a rooftop addition, reconstruct a rear yard addition, and alter the rear façade.
While it is a rear façade, architectural idiosyncrasies like this is why the Village is the Village. HDC finds this rear addition an attractive and distinctive feature. With a skylight present, this space was likely, at one point, an art studio, speaking to the history of the building and its role in the district. The desire for this space to be obliterated is emblematic of the change in culture that has arrived in this neighborhood. HDC would like to point out that this proposal will not gain any square footage, only a balcony, while the roof already has a balcony. The Committee was puzzled as to why something beautiful will be homogenized to look like every other rear yard. Finally, we ask that the original wooden sash windows remain in the upper stories and not be trashed, leaving some memory of this historic building.
LPC determination: APPROVED
Item 16
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN
173474- Block 673, lot 1-
220-246 12th Avenue – West Chelsea Historic District
An American Round Arch style warehouse building designed by George B. Mallory and Otto M. Beck and built in 1890-91. Application is to establish a master plan governing the future installation of signage.
HDC found this master plan for signage well organized and sensitive, as it will leave large swaths of brick uninterrupted and allow the building to remain heavy, which is a character-defining feature of the American Round Arch style. We have one request, pertaining to the signage above the main arch which reads “Terminal Stores.” This signage is present in the 1895 postcard, predating the signs above it which read “Terminal Warehouse Free Cold Bonded Storage.” Yet, in the proposal, it is required for the later signage to remain while leaving the original “Terminal Stores” at risk if the branding changes. HDC would like to see this original feature preserved, regardless of changes in ownership.
LPC determination: APPROVED w/mods