logo CityLand
      • Home
      • About CityLand
      • CityLand Sponsors
      • Filings & Decisions
      • Commentary
      • Archive
      • Resources
      • CityLaw
      • Current Issue

    Salvation Army Representatives Oppose Designation of 14th Street Headquarters


    Landmarks Preservation Commission  •  Designation Hearing  •  Greenwich Village, Manhattan
    02/21/2014   •    Leave a Comment

     

    Salvation Army Territorial Headquarters, located at 120-130 West 14th St., Manhattan. Image credit: Beyond My Ken.

    Salvation Army Territorial Headquarters, located at 120-130 West 14th St., Manhattan. Image credit: Beyond My Ken.

    Art Deco building from 1929, notable for its three-story arched entryway and asymmetrical massing. On February 11, 2014, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a hearing on the possible designation of the Salvation Army Territorial Headquarters, located at 120-130 West 14th Street in Manhattan. The three-building complex, designed by Ralph Walker of Voorhees, Gmelin and Walker, was completed in 1935.  Walker was the architect of the Western Union Building and the Barclay-Vesey Building, both individual City landmarks. The asymmetric Art Deco complex is clad in buff brick with cast-stone trim, and contains an auditorium, office space, and dormitory. The building is notable for its three-story arched entryway, and its vertical office tower.

    The Salvation Army’s Secretary for Business Major Sue Foley said the organization strove to take good care of the building, but would prefer that it not be landmarked. Foley said the building functioned as an important center of operation, and the church was concerned that landmark status would distract from its mission. Graham Hepburn, Director of Property Services for the Salvation Army, expressed concern that designation involve a diversion of “necessary funds” that would otherwise go to its evangelical and charitable operations. Architect for the Salvation Army Charles Edelstein testified that the building already exceeded the amount of floor area allowed under the site’s zoning and possesses no further development potential. Edelstein added that the structure possessed many non-historic elements, including a flagpole, signage, and a marquee, and needed to be maintained cost-effectively.

    The Historic Districts Council‘s Nadezhda Williams spoke in support of designation, identifying Ralph Walker as a significant and underappreciated architect of the interwar period. Williams called the building “one of 14th Street’s most impressive structures.” Landmarks Chair Robert B. Tierney stated that the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation had also submitted a letter advocating for the site’s designation.

    Chair Tierney closed the hearing after thanking those who testified. No date has been set for a vote on designation.

    LPC: Salvation Army Territorial Headquarters, 120 West 14th Street, Manhattan (LP-2565) (Feb. 11, 2014).

    By: Jesse Denno (Jesse is a full-time staff writer at the Center for NYC Law).

    Share this:

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Email
    Tags : Historic Districts Council, Landmarks Preservation Commission, Salvation Army, Voorhees Gmelin and Walker
    Category : Landmarks Preservation Commission

    Comment on this article

    Click here to cancel reply.

    Subscribe To Free Alerts


    Follow Us on Social Media

    twitterfacebook

    Search

    Search by Category

      City Council
      CityLaw
      City Planning Commission
      Board of Standards & Appeals
      Landmarks Preservation Commission
      Economic Development Corporation
      Housing Preservation & Development
      Administrative Decisions
      Court Decisions
      Filings and Decisions
      CityLand Profiles

    Search by Date

    © 1997-2010 New York Law School | 185 West Broadway, New York, NY 10013 | 212.431.2100 | Privacy | Terms | Code of Conduct | DMCA | Policies
     

    Loading Comments...