Two stories and new facade added to Tribeca building

Image: Courtesy of SYSTEMarchitects.

Landmarks found that contemporary, sculptural facade recalled district’s historical character. On April 19, 2011, Landmarks unanimously approved Douglas and Michelle Monticciolo’s proposal to add two floors on top of a three-story building at 187 Franklin Street in the Tribeca West Historic District. The proposal, opposed by the community board, called for a new, sculptural-brick facade above the first floor. The existing building replaced a 1923 one-story garage that was demolished … <Read More>

New Chambers Street residential building approved

Image: Courtesy of Goldstein Hill & West Architects LLP

Owner altered window and facade details to gain Landmarks approval . On April 12, 2011, Landmarks approved Fishman Holdings’ revised proposal to construct an eight-story building on a vacant lot at 87 Chambers Street in the Tribeca South Historic District. The through-block building will front Reade  Street to the north. The lot had been occupied by a store-and-loft building that  Fishman originally planned to convert … <Read More>

Retail conversion of prominent Fifth Avenue bank OK’d

Manufacturers Trust Company Building. Image: Courtesy of ny.curbed.com.

Landmarks  accepted  Vornado’s plans after  multiple revisions. On April 19, 2011, Landmarks approved Vornado Realty Trust’s revised proposal to renovate portions of the Manufacturers Trust Company Building at 510 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. Landmarks in 1997 designated the modernist, glass-walled building as an individual City landmark. In February 2011 Landmarks designated the building’s first two floors as an interior landmark. 8 CityLand 28 (March … <Read More>

Commissioners delay vote on addition near High Line

Image: Courtesy of ma.com

Reduction  in  height  of  glass-and- steel  addition  insufficient  to  gain from the existing building. On April 12, 2011, Landmarks considered Taconic Investment Partners’ revised proposal to build an addition on top of a low-rise building at 837 Washington Street across the street from the High Line in the Gansevoort Market Historic District. Taconic first proposed adding a seven-story masonry column wrapped in a torqued glass and steel tower. Landmarks praised the … <Read More>

Howard Goldman Reflects on His Legal Career and Land Use Issues in the City

Howard Goldman’s 35-year career as a land use attorney has ranged from helping native Alaskan communities create coastline regulations to assisting developers navigate New York City’s complex land use process. Aspiring to work for the Natural Resources Defense Council or the Sierra Club, Goldman in 1972  received an ad hoc degree in environmental and pre-law studies from SUNY at Buffalo. Goldman stayed on to earn a law degree, and after graduation he joined Neighborhood … <Read More>

First Department sends adult zoning law back for trial

Adult businesses challenged constitutionality of 2001  amendments to City’s  zoning resolution. A Department of City Planning study concluded in 1994 that the  City’s adult entertainment businesses caused certain negative secondary effects, such as increased crime and decreased property values. In response to this study, the City amended the zoning resolution in 1995 to bar “adult establishments” from all residential zones and most commercial and manufacturing districts. Adult establishments were defined as commercial businesses whereby a … <Read More>