Rowhouse conversion for preschool approved

Chabad of the West Side will combine two residential rowhouses to create religious preschool. On September 22, Landmarks unanimously approved an amended proposal by Chabad of the West Side to convert two John Duncan-designed rowhouses into a preschool at 43 and 45 West 86th Street in the Upper West Side/Central Park West Historic. Chabad’s original proposal included demolishing the interiors, redesigning the rear facades using glass and masonry, altering the floor plates, and adding a … <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>


LPC refuses to approve illegal, completed addition

Rear yard addition did not meet standard of appropriateness. Following a contentious hearing in April over a one-story addition constructed without Landmarks approval at 12- 14 West 68th Street in the Upper West Side/Central Park West Historic District, Landmarks reconvened to discuss the matter on June 9, 2009. The owners built the addition on top of a 1925 studio building, located at the rear of an 1895 Queen Anne-style mansion, and also installed an illegal, … <Read More>


Conversion of rowhouses to preschool proposed

Renovation would retain only facade and sidewalls. On May 19, 2009, Landmarks heard testimony on a plan to convert two Georgian-style rowhouses, located at 43 and 45 West 86th Street in the Upper West Side/Central Park West Historic District, into a religious preschool. The rowhouses, built in 1895 and 1896, were designed by architect John H. Duncan, designer of Grant’s Tomb in Riverside Park.

Architect Charles Platt, of the firm Platt Byard Dovell White, presented … <Read More>


Commission debates legalization of illegal addition

Architect testified that Buildings’ database failed to indicate that West 68th Street property was located within landmarked district. At its April 14th public hearing, Landmarks considered the legalization of a one-story, fifth-floor addition to a residential building at 12-14 West 68th Street in the Upper West Side/Central Park West Historic District. The 506 square-foot addition was built onto a 1925 studio building, itself built as an addition at the rear of the main 1895 Queen … <Read More>


NYU towers landmarked

University Village. Image: LPC.

NYU’s development plans for remaining portion of the site unaddressed. On November 18, 2008, Landmarks voted to collectively designate University Village, also known as the Silver Towers, as an individual City landmark. Designed by James Freed and I.M. Pei, of Pei Cobb Freed & Partners Architects LLP, the landmark consists of a central plaza and three 30-story towers with concrete facades and recessed windows in a “brutalist” style influenced by le … <Read More>