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PUBLIC HEARING TESTIMONY LPC-25-12069 1 West Kingsbridge Road – Kingsbridge Armory (Eighth Regiment Armory) – Individual Landmark BINDING REPORT A Medieval Romanesque style armory building designed by Pilcher & Tachau and built in 1912-1917. Application is to demolish ancillary buildings on the site and construct a new building, and at the armory building, alter and create masonry openings, replace windows and roofing, add and remove ironwork, install solar panels, louvers, signage, and canopies, and perform sitework and landscaping. Architects: SCAPE; aufgang; fxcollaborative As passionate advocates for adaptive reuse and as pro-housing preservationists, HDC supports both this beautiful and sensitive adaptive reuse as well as the addition of new housing on this site. We find the changes to be largely appropriate given the building’s new use, but we have a few comments. We find the new residential building to be about 4 stories too tall- the new building should be more deferential to the existing landmark and ideally not reach the height of the armory roofline, especially the height of the two armory towers that dominate the structure. Additionally, we feel that the glass and metal market canopies are inappropriate and in need of design refinement. We note that they are proposed as shade structures; however, a glass canopy will not provide the necessary shade. We recommend another material be chosen for the canopy. Action: Unanimously approved. Applicant will work with staff on details and massing of storefronts, details of signage, and brickwork, address the symmetry of the design and materiality of the new building, and address opportunities for views of armory |
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LPC-25-11563 CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS Architect: Shakespeare Gordon Studio HDC finds this proposal to be moving in the right direction, but we believe that it is stylistically confused as rendered. The rear facade is appropriate, but we would like to see a more coherent front facade that pursues an Italianate style. The remaining historic lintels and the arched windows on the 2nd floor should be kept, and the new cornice should turn the corner into the north facade and run the length of Willoughby Avenue- just as the original cornice did. Action: Unanimously approved with the modification that the lintels on the 2nd floor will be kept and the applicant will explore turning the cornice. |
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LPC-25-10079 CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS Architect: unique visuals HDC understands that signage will exist on this building, but we believe the signage that violates the strong horizontal band between the 1st and 2nd floor is inappropriate. This band, which is repeated between the 3rd and 4th floor, should not be obscured. Action: Unanimously approved with the modification that the canopy be removed and signage applied to the building. |
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LPC-25-12480 CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS A Brutalist style museum building designed by Marcel Breuer and Associates and built in 1964-66. Application is to install signage and lighting at the south entrance, and planters and furniture in the sunken garden. Architect: PBDW ARCHITECTS HDC finds the majority of this proposal to be appropriate. We do, however, think the vertical conduit on the southern board-formed concrete wall should be further studied and should be eliminated or overtly handled. We recommend lighting the sign from the nearby planter, or a free-standing pole, painting it bronze like the rest of the hardware, or not using lighting at all. Action: Unanimously approved. |
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LPC-25-10480 CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS Architect: KUSHNER studios HDC finds the proposed alterations to be inappropriate. There is a strong line at the rear cornice that repeats itself throughout the entire block- it should remain unaltered. Action: Approved. Applicant will work with staff on lightening the mullions. |
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