Church opposes designation

West Park Presbyterian Church designation heard. Image:Nicole Nahas

West Side church claims designation will hinder its ability to restore and remain in Romanesque Revival structure. On July 14, 2009, Landmarks heard extensive testimony on the potential designation of West Park Presbyterian Church, at 165 West 86th Street in Manhattan. The red, sandstone- clad Romanesque Revival building was built in two phases. In 1883, the church commissioned Leopold Eidlitz, who also worked on the Tweed Courthouse … <Read More>


Conversions of rowhouses criticized

Commissioners concerned that proposal would destroy too many original structures. On July 21, 2009, Landmarks met for a second time to discuss Chabad of the West Side’s proposal to convert into a religious preschool two rowhouses located at 43 and 45 West 86th Street in the Upper West Side/Central Park West Historic District. The rowhouses were built in the 1890s and designed by architect John Duncan.

A hearing on May 19 revealed sharp divisions between … <Read More>


St.Vincent’s wins final Landmarks approval

 

Rudin Management’s proposed townhouses and residential tower along West 11th Street. Image: FXFOWLE Architects.

After more than a year and nine meetings, Landmarks approved final component of St. Vincent’s plan. On July 7, 2009, Landmarks approved Rudin Management’s amended plan for the redevelopment of the St. Vincent’s Hospital complex into a residential development. The complex is located between Sixth and Seventh Avenues and West 11th and 12th Streets in the Greenwich Village Historic District. … <Read More>


Addition’s design praised, but not its location

Five-story addition proposed for six-story building in Ladies’ Mile. On July 21, 2009, Landmarks considered a certificate of appropriateness for a five-story addition at 33 West 19th Street in the Ladies’ Mile Historic District. Designed by architect Morris Adjmi, the addition would be built on top of a 1903 six-story neo- Renaissance store and loft building.

Adjmi’s design features a translucent woven metal mesh in front of the addition’s rain wall. The mesh would be … <Read More>


SoHo hotel plan approved

Design revisions addressed previously raised concerns. On June 9, 2009, Landmarks approved renovation plans for 431 Broome Street in the SoHo-Cast Iron Historic District making way for its use as a hotel. The applicants, owners of the nearby restaurant L’Orange Bleue, plan to build a four-story building behind the existing federal-style structure, add a penthouse and elevator bulkhead on the existing building, and alter the infill facade. At the initial May 5 hearing, the project … <Read More>


Brooklyn’s Prospect Heights Historic District designated

New historic district will be Brooklyn’s largest. On June 23, 2009, Landmarks voted to designate 21 blocks in the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn as a historic district. Developed in the mid and late 19th century, the area is largely characterized by rowhouses spanning a variety of styles, including Italianate, Romanesque, Renaissance Revival, and Second Empire. The eastern portion of the district along Flatbush Avenue includes larger scale, mixed-use structures. At the hearing, community residents … <Read More>