New residential units planned for Hudson Street Building. Peter Moore Associates applied to Landmarks to convert the former American Express Building at 157 Hudson Street in the Tribeca North Historic District to residential units and to construct a three-story metal and glass rooftop addition. Moore’s proposal included plans to renovate the facade of the 1 866 Renaissance Revival style building, which had originally served as American Express’ stable when it operated an express delivery service. … <Read More>
Landmarks holds hearing on Far West Village District
Supporters urged more inclusive designation. On October 18, 2005, Landmarks held a hearing on the proposed expansion of the Greenwich Village Historic District and creation of a new historic district along Weehawken and West Streets in Manhattan. As proposed, the Greenwich Village Historic District Extension would add 36 buildings within the threeblock area bounded by Perry, Washington, Christopher and Greenwich Streets. The newly proposed Weehawken Street Historic District would encompass 14 commercial and residential buildings … <Read More>
Variance approved for Mill Basin synagogue
Community opponents raised issues of parking and building height. Sephardic Center of Mill Basin proposed to construct a new 1 0,800 square-foot, two-story synagogue to replace its 20-year old, 6,800-squarefoot synagogue on the corner of Strickland and Mill Avenues in Mill Basin, Brooklyn. As proposed, the new synagogue would exceed the permitted floor area by 5,384 sq.ft., exceed the district’s permitted height by seven feet and fail to provide sufficient parking.
The Center claimed that … <Read More>
BSA denies variance to allow retail in Queens
BSA rejected owner’s site valuation and claim that buildings were of a “different era.” Sutphin Boulevard LLC, owner of three adjacent lots in a residential district totaling 24,649 sq. ft., sought to demolish four buildings housing auto-service and auto-storage space on one of its lots and construct a one-story 12,005-square-foot retail building spanning the three lots. The site, at Sutphin Boulevard and I I It h Avenue in Queens, has contained an auto-service station since … <Read More>
Harlem car wash owner withdraws application
Owner sought to legalize ‘car wash, auto-lubrication station and accessory retail building. 2 113 First Avenue, llC, owner of two lots used for auto-related uses located at 338 East 109th Street in a residential district, sought a variance to legalize the existing car wash, auto-lubrication station and accessory retail building.
In its application to BSA, 2 1 13 represented that the oddly shaped lots and residential zoning made as-of-right development infeasible and that parts of … <Read More>
Proposed West Broadway building approved at 11 stories
BSA- requested alternate design approved. Siba Re LP, the owner of 350 West Broadway, a 8,264-squarefoot lot in SoHo between Grand and Broome Streets, proposed to expand a vacant two-story building into a ISS-foot tall, 13-story, 4 1 ,320- square-foot mixed-use building with retail and residential uses.
In support of a variance, Siba argued that the shallowness of the lot resulted in inefficient and impractical floor plates for any permitted commercial use. Showing that the … <Read More>