Landmarked bank to be converted to market. On February 15, 2005, Landmarks unanimously approved the adaptive reuse of the New York Savings Bank, located at West 14th Street and Eighth Avenue, by Balducci’s, a high-end food market that traces its roots to a Greenwich Village fruit and vegetable stand. Constructed in 1896, the marble-facade Classical Revival-styled bank was designated an individual and an interior landmark in 1988. In 1994, it was converted to a large carpet store that remained at the site until December 2004.

Balducci’s proposed to alter the bank’s exterior doors, create grade-level entry doors along the Eighth Avenue side and add handicap access. An interior staircase and vestibule wall, added in 1952, would be removed to restore the interior more closely to its original appearance. No new architectural elements would be introduced into the interior and none of the food display cases or racks would be secured to the interior marble. (read more…)

Renowned fashion designer sought to increase light and space of studio. Designer Diane von Furstenberg sought alterations to her existing retail studio located at 440-442 West 14th Street in the Gansevoort Market Historic District. Developed in 1887, the building is an example of neo-Grec and Queen Anne style French flats, which contribute to the special architectural and historic character of the district.

Von Furstenberg and architect Daniel Wood of the Work Architecture Company proposed to alter the front facade by installing a new glazed storefront, a metal and corrugated glass wraparound canopy and new single-paned windows. Also proposed were a metal-clad rear yard addition, an asymmetrical rooftop addition and a laminated stone and glass skylight, to facilitate more natural light in the studio. (read more…)

Cement coating applied without permits will damage masonry. Without permits, the owner of 315 President Street in the Carroll Gardens Historic District applied an orange, heavy cement-based waterproof coating to the exterior of his 1876 neo-Grec masonry rowhouse believing that it would protect the building, and also altered the windows. Following warning letters from Landmarks, the owner applied to legalize the waterproofing treatment and windows.

Denying both alterations, Landmarks advised the owner that if the acrylic waterproofing treatment remained it would cause serious damage to the brownstone masonry by preventing moisture from escaping. Due to the impermeable nature of the sealant, the masonry would crack during each post-winter thawing and eventually crumble when water became trapped between the sealant and the masonry. Landmarks also found that its orange color conflicted with other brownstones. The waterproof coating, which is specifically designed for permanency, will have to be chiseled off and the brownstone facade reconstructed. Landmarks, commenting to CityLand, noted that it is unfortunate that permits were not sought prior to the sealant’s application because the owner was misled to believe that the coating would protect the historic building. (read more…)

St. Luke’s to construct one-story addition. Landmarks approved renovation plans for St. Luke’s School located at 675 Greenwich Street in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village Historic District. The St. Luke’s School buildings consist of a gymnasium, constructed in 1926 and designed by Renwick, Aspinwall and Guard, and a school building constructed in 1952. St. Luke’s sought to demolish part of the third floor of the gymnasium at the southern end of the building and construct a visible, one-story rooftop addition set back from the existing parapet wall. The proposal included removal of the top 2 ft. of the existing brick parapet wall at the western portion of the south facade and a 4 ft. increase in the height of the gymnasium parapet on the west facade with brick matching the color, size and texture of the existing wall. St. Luke’s proposed additional aesthetic renovations, including window and entranceway alterations and light fixture installations.

Landmarks approved the proposal, finding that because the addition would be only incidentally visible from the street when viewing the church and other historic buildings, the changes would not adversely affect the historic district. Landmarks also found that the additional aesthetic renovations would not detract from the building or the district. (read more…)

Landmarks designates northeastern Queens suburb a historic district. On December 14, 2004, Landmarks designated the Douglaston Hill Historic District in Queens, a residential park-like community developed between 1890 and 1930, to preserve the special historical and aesthetic values of early twentieth-century architectural styles within the area. The new district consists of 31 freestanding, wooden, single-family homes of Queen Anne, Colonial and Tudor Revival style. Douglaston Hill became one of the first commuter suburbs that marked Queens’ transformation away from small farms and colonial villages. It was also the home of many prominent New Yorkers, including the O’Leary, Stuart and Hamilton families.

At the August 3, 2004 public hearing, Council Member Tony Avella and other public officials spoke in favor of designating the district to preserve styles which are becoming increasingly rare due to over-development or inappropriate alterations throughout Queens. Landmarks noted that the newly created historic district protects the turn-of-century picturesque architectural styles of the rapidly disappearing era of suburban development. (read more…)