Landmarks rejected owner’s initial request to build five-story addition to 1990s structure. On June 1, 2010, Landmarks approved a revised proposal to construct a three-story addition on top of a three-story structure built on a triangular lot at 115 Seventh Avenue South in the Greenwich Village Historic District. The existing building, referred to as a “modern commercial building” by Landmarks, was completed in 1994 and is occupied by Gourmet Garage and a New York Sports Club.

At a March 2009 public hearing, the owner initially presented a plan to build a five-story, glass-faced addition that would be set back from the streetwall. The owner’s representative, Frank Angelino, conceded that glass was not common in the district, but he argued it was an unobtrusive material. Manhattan Community Board 2, residents, and preservationists opposed the initial plan. The Historic District Council’s Nadezhda Williams said the project was “too shiny and glitzy” for the area. Chair Robert B. Tierney found the addition’s scale problematic, noting that it would not connect with the existing base. Other commissioners agreed, and Landmarks asked the owner to return with a revised proposal. (read more…)