HDC@LPC Testimony for June 17, 2025

CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS TESTIMONY

LPC-25-08904
38 State Street – Brooklyn Heights Historic District

CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS

A commercial garage built c. 1900. Application is to demolish portions of the building and construct a new building on the lot.

Architect: THE BROOKLYN STUDIO

Brendan Coburn is a member of HDC’s Public Review committee. He presented this item to the committee but was recused from the discussion.

HDC finds this proposal to be largely appropriate, however, we find the proposed ironwork to be inappropriate.

HDC is overall supportive of this project and we are thrilled that the applicant is retaining the original façade. Our concerns are with the ironwork in the masonry openings of the original façade. We do not see precedent for such ironwork in this neighborhood. We believe it abstracts the original façade from the new development and appears utilitarian in the renderings. 

Action: No action.

LPC-25-02374
183 Wyckoff Street – Boerum Hill Historic District

CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
A rowhouse built c. 1854. Application is to construct a rooftop bulkhead and rear yard addition.

Architect: ABS ARCHITECTURE & SERVICES

HDC finds the massing of this proposed addition to be inappropriate.

HDC recognizes and appreciates that the rear façade presents a difficult design issue. We find the series of setbacks and massing to be awkward and in need of refinement. The three tiered wedding cake massing needs to be simplified – a single two-story extension with a single set back would be a more appropriate form.

Action: Unanimously approved.

LPC-25-09319
534 1st Street – Park Slope Historic District

CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
A neo-Renaissance style rowhouse designed by Eisenla and Carlson and built in 1909. Application is to enlarge the rear yard addition.

HDC finds this third story addition to be inappropriate.

HDC finds that a third story addition is neither necessary nor appropriate here. This block has a very intact set of two-story rear yard extensions making these extensions an architectural feature of this donut.

We ask the commission to deny this proposed addition.

Action: Unanimously approved.

LPC-25-09453
405 West 13th Street – Gansevoort Market Historic District

CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
An Arts and Crafts style store and loft building designed by Charles H. Cullen and built in 1909. Application is to legalize the installation of signage and flagpoles without Landmarks Preservation Commission permit(s), and to alter the canopy.

HDC finds the proposed canopy to be appropriate as well as the transom and bracket signs. We do, however, object to the flag banners and believe they should be removed.

Action: Approved with modifications. Hanging signs reduced to meet rules and flagpoles eliminated. 

LPC-25-10563
Bryant Park – Scenic Landmark

ADVISORY REPORT
A Formal French style garden designed by Lusby Simpson in 1933 and reconstructed and partially redesigned by Hanna/ Olin n 1988-91. Application is to renew a master plan governing seasonal installations.

Architect: Bryant Park Corporation

HDC appreciates the Bryant Park Corporation’s efforts in maintaining Bryant Park as a civic treasure. We have no objections to the appropriateness of the temporary installations.

We are unsure if this is within the commission’s purview, but we would like to see reductions to the duration and frequency of these installations, so that the park has more moments of existing as just a park in its most formal and uncluttered form.

Action: Motion to issue favorable report and will note the discussion surrounding the duration and frequency of installations.

LPC-25-02404
232 West End Avenue – West End – Collegiate Historic District Extension

CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
A rowhouse originally built in 1877 and altered in the Beaux Arts style by Herts & Tallant in 1903-04. Application is to modify the main entry, construct a rooftop addition, demolish a rear addition and reconstruction the rear façade.

Architect: GRASSO-MENZIUSO ARCHITECTS A.I.A

HDC finds the proposed rear façade to be inappropriate in composition and in need of further design refinement. For example, the proposed deck is not the full width of the masonry opening and doors behind it, and there should be a direct relationship between the two. There is a lack of compositional clarity that needs to be addressed. 

Action: Unanimously approved.

LPC-25-05641
381 West End Avenue – West End – Collegiate Historic District

CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
A Flemish Renaissance Revival style rowhouse designed by Frederick White and built in 1885-86. Application is to legalize reconstruction of the secondary west façade without Landmarks Preservation Commission permit(s).  

HDC normally objects to approval of work done without LPC approval. In this case, however, we believe that the applicant has done a great job with the modifications to the secondary façade and therefore support the legalization.

Action: Unanimous approval with recommendation that applicant works with staff on coping.

LPC-25-05396
128 East 73rd Street (aka 128-130 East 73rd Street) – Upper East Side Historic District

CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
Two rowhouses built in 1879-80 and subsequently combined and altered in a neo-Gregorian style, designed by A. Wallace McCrea and built in 1928. Application is to legalize cladding the rear façade and constructing a raised roof and parapet without Landmarks Preservation Commission permit(s).

Architect: TRIMBLE ARCHITECTURE

HDC finds the alterations to the rear façade to be inappropriate.

The cladding is an inappropriate technical solution to an issue that could have been resolved with proper restoration of the original brick façade. We believe that the cladding will eventually fail due to water infiltration. We also note that the parlor floor windows on the rear façade are improperly sized and affect the appearance of this elevation. 

Action: Unanimously approved.