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>
Five-story addition proposed for six-story building in Ladies’ Mile. On July 21, 2009, Landmarks considered a certificate of appropriateness for a five-story addition at 33 West 19th Street in the Ladies’ Mile Historic District. Designed by architect Morris Adjmi, the addition would be built on top of a 1903 six-story neo- Renaissance store and loft building.
Adjmi’s design features a translucent woven metal mesh in front of the addition’s rain wall. The mesh would be … <Read More>
Design revisions addressed previously raised concerns. On June 9, 2009, Landmarks approved renovation plans for 431 Broome Street in the SoHo-Cast Iron Historic District making way for its use as a hotel. The applicants, owners of the nearby restaurant L’Orange Bleue, plan to build a four-story building behind the existing federal-style structure, add a penthouse and elevator bulkhead on the existing building, and alter the infill facade. At the initial May 5 hearing, the project … <Read More>
Expansion plan calls for demolition of neighboring building. On June 2, 2009, Landmarks considered the expansion plans for the Cosmopolitan Hotel located at the corner of West Broadway and Chambers Street within the Tribeca South Historic District. The applicants planned to demolish the two-story 1967 building adjacent to the hotel, home to Mary Ann’s Mexican restaurant, replacing it with a six-story, brick-face building with an aluminum marquee and … <Read More>
New historic district will be Brooklyn’s largest. On June 23, 2009, Landmarks voted to designate 21 blocks in the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn as a historic district. Developed in the mid and late 19th century, the area is largely characterized by rowhouses spanning a variety of styles, including Italianate, Romanesque, Renaissance Revival, and Second Empire. The eastern portion of the district along Flatbush Avenue includes larger scale, mixed-use structures. At the hearing, community residents … <Read More>
BAM to restore former Salvation Army building’s facade and construct six-story rear addition. On June 16, 2009, Landmarks approved the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s proposal to build a new theater by renovating and expanding a two-story building at 321 Ashland Place within the Brooklyn Academy of Music Historic District. The site, occupied by the classically-inspired red brick building built by the Salvation Army … <Read More>