Item 1
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
BOROUGH OF QUEENS
137230- Block 149, lot 64-
39-56 47th Street – Sunnyside Gardens Historic District
A brick rowhouse with Colonial revival style details designed by Clarence Stein, Henry Wright and Frederick Ackerman and built in 1925. Application is to replace a fence a the front yard.
HDC is opposed to the 3-foot-8-inch, metal picket fence proposed for this Sunnyside Gardens rowhouse. Such a fence would not be in keeping with the history, aesthetics, and spirit of the Gardens. While some fences now exist in the neighborhood, they are certainly not the majority and are actually the type of thing residents sought to prevent through landmarking. Plantings like those this house already has rather than fences should be used along the front of properties to maintain the area’s garden feel.
LPC determination: approved
Item 5
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN
137939- Block 172, lot 5-
372 Broadway – TriBeCa East Historic District
An Italianate style store and loft building built in 1852-54. Application is to construct a rooftop addition, alter the lot-line façade and fire-escapes, and install storefront infill.
HDC finds the proposed two-story rooftop addition plus bulkhead too much for this five-story, 1854 store and loft building. While it might not be visible from right across the street, such an addition would visible from other locations.
We find the storefront on the Cortlandt Alley façade an interesting insertion to the rear facade, but the storefront on the Broadway side is too out of keeping. HDC asks that the storefront in the 1910 photo be looked to for inspiration.
LPC determination: no action
Item 2
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
BOROUGH OF BROOKLYN
146970- Block 2414, lot 1-
292-314 Kent Street – Domino Sugar Refinery, Individual Landmark
Three American Round-Arch style industrial buildings, designed by Theodore A. Havemeyer and others and built in 1881-1884. Application is to amend a previous approval for the construction of rooftop and rear additions, modifications and creation of masonry openings; and installations of bulkheads, mechanical equipment, windows, ground floor infill, signage, a canopy and awnings.
The proposal before the Commission today contains more space than the prior approval due to the retention of the building’s core and a second rooftop addition. HDC asks that in return for this space, the rooftop addition on the main part of the building be reduced or eliminated. Keeping the bulk of the additions to the back portion of the building where it interferes with only the least distinguished piece of the building would much more preferable than disturbing the main view of the individual landmark and its iconic chimney.
LPC determination: no action
Item 4
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN
150545- Block 194, lot 24-
42 Lispenard Street – TriBeCa East Historic District
An Italianate/Second Empire style store and loft building designed by William Naugle and built in 1867-68. Application is to alter the vault light platform, replace storefront infill and windows, and construct rooftop addition.
While it is sad to see the historic storefront infill and configuration removed, the proposal offers a good tradeoff including new vault lights, handicap accessible entrances flush with the street, and nicely designed, wood storefronts. HDC asks that the details of the storefront be paid close attention to so that they replicate the original.
LPC determination: approved with modifications
Item 3
ADVISORY REPORT
BOROUGH OF BROOKLYN
150703- Block 26, lot 1-
55 Water Street – Fulton Ferry Historic District
Four brick warehouses built in 1869-70, and three brick warehouses designed by Thomas Stone and built in 1885. Application is to construct a rooftop additions, create an interior courtyard and ground-floor passage, and to install windows, storefront infill, loading bays, canopies and establish a signage program.
HDC compliments the applicant on the nice restoration proposed for the Empire Stores. The restoration and reinstallation of the shutters are a particularly nice touch, and deeply setting back the windows and storefronts will allow the building to read as it originally did.
We find the signage plan which includes pin-mounted signage, glass-adhered signage, and blade signs to be excessive. The power of the Empire Stores comes from the rhythm of its arches, and the signage works against this. Blade signs and signage painted on the glass of the openings should be sufficient without cluttering the monumental building.
The interior courtyard is an interesting idea, but we would like to see more of the framing and roof left intact. Unlike the Tobacco Warehouses, the Empire Stores is not an urban ruin without a roof or floors, and the courtyard should reflect this. A more atrium-like design, like at Minneapolis’s Butler Square, would be a truer and more practical intervention.
Finally, HDC finds the two-story rooftop addition plus the very large bulkhead detracts from the historic building and its restoration. This is such a large building with so much space that it does not seem a rooftop addition would be an economic necessity. We would prefer to see no rooftop addition or at most one story with a much reduced bulkhead.
LPC determination: approved with modifications
Item 20
ADVISORY REPORT
BOROUGH OF BRONX
150779- Block 2341, lot 1-
425 Grand Concourse – Public School 31, Individual Landmark
A Collegiate Gothic style school building designed by C.B.J. Snyder and built in 1897-99. Application is to demolish the building.
Former Public School 31 is an impressive structure on the Grand Concourse. Designed by C.B.J. Snyder during the early years of his prolific career as Superintendent of School Buildings, it is also one of the earliest representations of the Collegiate Gothic style. For nearly a century, the school building proudly served its community. As a former teacher recently recalled to the Daily News, “As soon as you walked in, you had respect for the building – and for education itself. This was like a church.”
The once proud building has been empty since 1997, deteriorating with each passing year. If a private property owner had been responsible for this, the City would have pursued them with a demolition by neglect by charge. Instead, it has been the City that has allowed the destruction and now asks to finish it by demolishing the gift it once gave to this community.
If there is a realistic proposal to save and reuse this individual landmark, it should be expedited. Other buildings have been brought back from the brink – remember the Towers Nursing Home and 93 Joralemon Street to mention just a few – and the former PS 31 is certainly worth the effort.
Item 11
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN
151017- Block 829, lot 28-
1162 Broadway – Madison Square North Historic District
A commercial building designed by Joseph D. Weiss and built in 1939-40. Application is to demolish the building and construct a new building
HDC approves of this new building with its fine materials and a design that nicely blends into the context of the Madison Square North Historic District while subtly expressing its modernity. We were struck though by the 1940 tax photo showing 1162 Broadway just after its construction and thought making reference to this design in the base of the new building could be an interesting way to express the site’s history.
LPC determination: approved
Item 7
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN
151046- Block 545, lot 21-
734 Broadway – NoHo Historic District
A neo-Grec style store building designed by D & J Jardine and built in 1872-73. Application is to construct a rooftop addition and install storefront infill.
Item 8
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN
151047- Block 545, lot 21-
734 Broadway – NoHo Historic District
A neo-Grec style store building designed by D & J Jardine and built in 1872-73. Application is to request that the LPC issue a report to the City Planning Commission relating to an application for a Modification of Use pursuant to Section 74-711 of the Zoning Resolution.
HDC applauds the applicant on what will be a fine restoration of this 1873 store building. Considering that this is a 74-711, it would be nice to return the vault lights so that it is a complete restoration from top to toe. In general though, we approve of this portion of the application. We find a two-story roof top addition too much for this five-story building. The commission has been reluctant to approve two-story additions even those with less visibility and on larger buildings in the past. HDC asks that just the first story of the addition and the bulkhead be approved.
LPC determination: no action
Item 14
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN
151066- Block 1265, lot 7501-
30 Rockefeller Plaza aka 32 Rockefeller Plaza – RCA Building, Interior Landmark
An Art Deco style skyscraper lobby, designed by the Associated Architects and built in 1931-33 as part of an Art Deco style office, commercial and entertainment complex, which comprises the Rockefeller Center Individual Landmark. Application is to modify portions of the designated lobby and mezzanine.
In general, the modifications proposed for the interior of the RCA Building are modest. We find the reception desk an uncomfortable fit though. The horizontal design seems to compete with a building that, inside and out, is all about verticals. HDC recommends that the clear historic photo featured in the presentation be used as a guide for the new desk’s design.
LPC determination: no action
Item 1
LP – 2562
BOROUGH OF BROOKLYN
4th POLICE PRECINCT STATION HOUSE, now 88th POLICE PRECINCT, 298 Classon Avenue (aka 414-420 DeKalb Avenue)
HDC is happy to support the landmarking of this distinctive building which is part of the proposed expansion of the historic district submitted by the Society for Clinton Hill. The former 4th Police Precinct Station House is an example of one of those buildings that one assumes is a landmark. Situated on a prominent corner in the Clinton Hill neighborhood, the grand Romanesque Revival style building of red brick is a striking sight. Not only was it designed to be “palatial” (as the Brooklyn Eagle described it), the precinct was designed to improve working conditions of the police force as it grew to keep up with the area’s growing population. The building survived a 1953 Title 1 slum clearance plan for the area, and landmarking will ensure the building’s continued existence.