Landmarks issues permit for new six-story building in South Street Seaport. 276 Water Street Development, LLC sought Landmarks’ approval to construct a new residential building at 276 Water Street, one of the only remaining vacant lots in the South Street Seaport Historic District. The 5,019- square-foot lot is located on the corner of Frankfort Street at the Historic District’s edge, directly across from the base of the Brooklyn Bridge.

Landmarks expressed concern over the original proposal, designed by Perkins Eastman Architects, for a brick-clad, six-story residential building with a glass penthouse flush along the building’s north facing edge. The design included a variety of window shapes and sizes along the north facade facing the Brooklyn Bridge, which would have contrasted with the single pane windows along Water Street. Landmarks objected to the mix-matched window plan and requested that the glass penthouse be set back to minimize its visibility.

Perkins Eastman set back the penthouse and reduced the variety of window sizes, but maintained larger windows on the north edge to take advantage of Brooklyn Bridge views. With the changes, Landmarks approved. Commissioner Roberta Brandes Gratz voted against the project because she viewed the proposed street level garage as completely out-of-character with the adjacent 19th Century buildings. Other commissioners disagreed, noting that many of the Seaport’s historic buildings contain large loading bays that looked similar to the proposed garage.

LPC: 276 Water Street (COFA # 06-2275) (November 30, 2005). CITYADMIN