Landmarks had approved three-story addition for existing five-story building in 2002. On November 22, 2011, Landmarks rejected Axia Realty’s proposal to build a ten-story addition on a five-story building at 40 East 72nd Street in the Upper East Side Historic District. The midblock site originally consisted of two 1881 rowhouses, which in 1928 were converted to a single, neo-classical apartment building. The building is adjacent to fifteen- and fourteenstory buildings. Landmarks in 2002 approved plans for a three-story addition, but it was never built.

Axia’s architect, Barry Rice, claimed that the ten-story addition would bring the building in line with the other buildings on the southern side of East 72nd Street. Rice stated that the addition would be set back further than the previously approved addition, and would not impact the majority of the lot-line windows on the neighboring building at 36 East 72nd Street. The brick-clad addition would feature a tripartite design, with two window bays on each side of a large indented central bay. The addition would be visible along East 72nd Street and East 71st Street. Rice noted that the property was located within the Special Park Improvement District, which he claimed was created to promote the most desirable use of land.

In response to questions from the Commissioners, Rice explained that the previously approved addition would not be visible from the street. According to Rice, Axia planned to proceed with the threes-tory addition if it did not receive approval for the current proposal.  (more…)

Landmarks requested developer consider reducing proposal impacting buildings adjacent to the Whitney Museum. On October 18, 2011, Landmarks considered Daniel E. Straus’s proposal to alter and redevelop eight buildings adjacent to the Whitney Museum along Madison Avenue and East 74th Street in the Upper East Side Historic District. The site includes six rowhouses at 933 to 943 Madison Avenue and two townhouses at 31 and 33 East 74th Street. Straus purchased the buildings from the Whitney in 2010. The museum in 2005 and 2006 had obtained approvals from Landmarks and the Board of Standards & Appeals for an expansion plan that included building a Renzo Pianodesigned 178-foot tower behind the facades of the rowhouses on Madison Avenue. 3 CityLand 122 (Sept. 15, 2006). The Whitney, however, abandoned the project and instead decided to build a new museum facility in the Meatpacking District.

Architect Richard Metsky, from Beyer Blinder Belle, presented Straus’s plan. Straus planned to replace the heavily altered rowhouse abutting the Whitney at 943 Madison Avenue with a new infill building. A visible two-story addition would be built on top of the remaining five rowhouses along Madison Avenue, and the facades of the rowhouses would be restored. Straus would demolish a one-story infill building behind 933 Madison Avenue and a rear extension of 31 East 74th Street and build a nine-story residential building that would be set back 25 feet from East 74th Street. A one-story set-back rooftop addition would be added to 33 East 74th Street. The addition and new building would be clad in terra cotta to match the Madison Avenue rowhouses. Metsky said the neutral palette would not distract from the historic district and would become part of the background.

Valerie Campbell, Straus’s attorney, noted that while the project’s residential uses would be permitted as of right, Straus would need BSA variances to build the project.  (more…)

Landmarks approved plan to partially demolish deteriorating rowhouses, but expressed concerns about developer’s townhouse conversion proposal. On January 5, 2010, Landmarks approved part of the Chetrit Group’s redevelopment proposal for six 1885-era rowhouses at 110 through 120 East 76th Street in the Upper East Side Historic District. The proposal required two separate applications. Chetrit Group requested approval to partially demolish at least two of the deteriorated rowhouses, while retaining and stabilizing the front facades. Landmarks also considered the developer’s plan to convert the six rowhouses into three large townhouses with two-story additions.

At the hearing, Tim Lynch, director of Buildings’ forensic engineering unit, testified that the interiors of 112 and 114 East 76th Street were structurally compromised and progressively degrading. He said there was no way to salvage the two buildings beyond shoring and bracing their facades, and that the situation needed to be stabilized “immediately.” Lynch noted that the rowhouses rely on each other for stability and said 116 and 110 East 76th Street would be at risk as well. (more…)

890 Park Avenue in Manhattan. Image Credit: Murdock Solon Architects

Additions to surviving Queen Anne-style Park Avenue rowhouse scaled down after commissioners rejected previous proposal. On April 12, 2016, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to issue a certificate of appropriateness to revised proposal to alter and build additions to an 1885 rowhouse at 890 Park Avenue in the Upper East Side Historic District. The rowhouse is one of only three surviving low-rise buildings on Park Avenue. The current owners intend to revert the building back to its original use as one-family dwelling. (more…)

Architect rendering of the new 807 Park Avenue. Image credit: PBDW ARchitects

Commission asked applicants to integrate fragment of building that was otherwise demolished for 1980s enlargement. On June 9, 2015, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to approve an application to construct a new building at 807 Park Avenue in the Upper East Side Historic District. It was the commission’s fourth meeting on the matter. The property was originally developed in 1899 as five story Romanesque Revival tenement. The site is owned by Aion Partners, who purchased the property in 2004.

(more…)