Landmark permit issued for 122 GREENWICH AVENUE, MANHATTAN in GREENWICH VILLAGE
Landmark building permit details
| Location | 122 GREENWICH AVENUE, MANHATTAN |
|---|---|
| Issue date | September 6, 2006 |
| (?) COFA | COFA 07-1823 |
Certificates of Appropriateness (COFAs) are issued by the landmarks commission when it approves such things as building construction, demolition and visible additions to historic property. The certificates require a public hearing and the entire process can take several months. |
|
| Docket | 07-1750 |
| Historic district | Greenwich Village |
| Landmark name | N/A |
| Expiration date | September 6, 2012 |
| Text | Pursuant to Section 25-307 of the Administrative Code of the City of New York, the Landmarks Preservation Commission, at the Public Meeting of May 2, 2006, following the Public Meeting of April 18, 2006 and the Public Hearing and Public Meeting of March 7, 2006, voted to grant a Certificate of Appropriateness for the construction of a new eleven-story glass building, as put forward in your application completed on February 9, 2006. The proposal, as approved, consists of constructing a new eleven-story building with an undulating curved glass and metal primary façade. The building will be composed of a tower at the northern end of the lot and a seven-story wing extending along Greenwich Avenue with dark bronze horizontal steel channels separating each floor; a brick and metal clad northern wall; and minimally framed glass storefronts with a deeply recessed main entrance at the ground floor. The proposal, as initially presented, included extending the glass wall to the lot line at the southeast corner of the building without the recessed steel panel and a different brick and fenestration pattern on the north façade. The proposal was shown in presentation materials including a written description by William Pedersen, FAIA, FAAR, historic district map, site plan, typical plans and sections, wall details, photomontages of the proposed building, and existing condition photographs, contextual photographs, historical photographs, and historic maps labeled HP-01 through 08, all dated February 2006, and revised presentation photomontages, sections, plans, and details, dated May 2, 2006, submitted as components of the application, and presented at the Public Hearing and Public Meetings. In reviewing this proposal, the Commission noted that the Greenwich Village Historic District designation report describes the site as a parking lot. The Commission also noted that the surrounding buildings are primarily low-rise, masonry structures with punched window openings with two larger masonry buildings flanking the site to the north and south; and, that the site is bordered on the south side by Jackson Square Park. The Commission further noted that the course of Greenwich Avenue was derived from an earlier route known as Greenwich Lane, established before the turn of the 19th century; that the bends in the street pattern within the Greenwich Village Historic District follow routes established prior to the introduction of the street grid resulting in extreme variations in block sizes and shapes which contribute to the picturesque character of the Village; that the triangular shape of the corner lot created by the intersection of Greenwich Avenue, 8th Avenue, and West 13th Street is, therefore, a condition unique to Greenwich Village; and that buildings on these sites exhibit a diverse range of forms, massing, and shapes. Finally, the Commission noted that Greenwich Village has a cross section of styles, including 19th century brownstone and brick rowhouses in various styles, turn of the century tenements, 20th century apartment buildings, and some institutional buildings. With regard to this proposal, the Commission found that the existing empty lot detracts from the historic district by creating a gap in the otherwise densely built grid and that the construction of a building at this site will help to unify the streetscape and will establish a more intimate, pedestrian scale at this intersection; that the height and massing of the proposed building will mediate between the low scale of buildings along 13th and the large apartment buildings to the south; that the contemporary design and unusual massing of this building is in keeping with the types of building found on these unique sites in the Greenwich Village Historic District; that the curved glass relates to the non-rectilinear forms within the Greenwich Village Historic District, particularly at these unique sites, such as corner towers, protruding window bays and balconettes; that the articulation of the glass facade, with its deep horizontal recesses, independently undulating floors, randomly spaced mullions, and varying window sizes, will recall architectural features commonly found in the district such as cornices, balconies, bay windows, and areaways and will relate well to the intimately scaled and highly textured historic facades; that the modern form and materials of the building will create a contrast to the mostly masonry buildings with punched openings found in the historic district in a manner that enhances the character and materiality of these buildings; that the brick returns on the north end of the building and the metal reveal on the east end will frame the glass façade, adding stability to the energetic façade at the edges and creating a respectful division between the modern façade and the adjacent historic buildings; that the glass wrapped east corner at the two-story setback will help to lighten the appearance of bulk above the MTA building as viewed from the south; that north masonry wall will anchor the building and create a balance for the light, loosely structured southern façade; that the use of multiple materials and reveals at the lot line façade will animate this highly visible surface; that the one-story commercial base, with its highly transparent storefronts separated from the upper residential floors by a deep recess reminiscent of a traditional sign band, is in keeping with the scale of the one story commercial bases often found on rowhouses and buildings within the district; and that the proposed building will enhance the special architectural character of the Greenwich Village Historic District. Based on these findings, the Commission determined the proposed work to be appropriate to the Greenwich Village Historic District and, therefore, voted to approve it. Therefore, Certificate of Appropriateness 07-1823 is being issued. The Commission notes that the applicant is applying to the Board of Standards and Appeals for certain variances. Any changes to the design required by the Board of Standards and Appeals approval must be submitted to the Landmarks Preservation Commission for review and approval prior to the issuance of the final approval letter. PLEASE NOTE: This permit is issued contingent upon the Commission's review and approval of the final Department of Building filing set of drawings. No work can begin until the final drawings have been marked approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission with a perforated seal. Please submit these drawings to the Landmarks Preservation Commission staff when they become available. Also, as the approved work consists of subsurface work, the applicant is required to strictly adhere to the Department of Buildings TPPN 10/88 governing in-ground construction adjacent to historic buildings. It is the applicant's obligation at the time of applying for their permit to inform the Department of Buildings that the TPPN applies. This permit is issued on the basis of the building and site conditions described in the application and disclosed during the review process. By accepting this permit, the applicant agrees to notify the Commission if the actual building or site conditions vary or if original or historic building fabric is discovered. The Commission reserves PAGE 2 Issued: 9/6/06 DOCKET: 07-1750 the right to amend or revoke this permit, upon written notice to the applicant, in the event that the actual building or site conditions are materially different from those described in the application or disclosed during the review process. All approved drawings are marked approved by the Commission with a perforated seal indicating the date of approval. The work is limited to what is contained in the perforated documents. Other work or amendments to this filing must be reviewed and approved separately. The applicant is hereby put on notice that performing or maintaining any work not explicitly authorized by this permit may make the applicant liable for criminal and/or civil penalties, including imprisonment and fines. This letter constitutes the permit; a copy must be prominently displayed at the site while work is in progress. Please direct inquiries to Shelley Perdue. Robert B. Tierney Chair PLEASE NOTE: PERFORATED DRAWINGS AND A COPY OF THIS PERMIT HAVE BEEN SENT TO: Stephen Lefkowitz, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP cc: Stephen Lefkowitz; W. Pedersen, Kohn Pedersen Fox Architects; S. Carroll, Director of Preservation PAGE 3 Issued: 9/6/06 DOCKET: 07-1750 |
Added to EveryBlock on January 16, 2008.