Landmark permit issued for 56 WALKER STREET, MANHATTAN in TRIBECA EAST

Landmark building permit details

Location 56 WALKER STREET, MANHATTAN
Issue date January 2, 2007
(?) COFA COFA 07-4432

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 07-4201
Historic district Tribeca East
Landmark name N/A
Expiration date September 19, 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 September 19, 2006, following the Public Hearing and Public Meeting of
September 12, 2006, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to grant a Certificate of Appropriateness for
the proposed work at the subject premises, as put forth in your application completed on August 17, 2006. This
permit will expire on September 19, 2012.

The work, as approved, consists of at the Walker Street (front) façade, installing new wood and glass storefront
infill; at the rear (north) façade, altering the fenestration pattern by infilling the existing windows and installing
new punched window openings at the second through fifth floor; at the roof, constructing a new one-story
penthouse; and, at the roof of the new penthouse, installing new mechanical equipment and metal railings. The
proposal as originally presented called for a two-story penthouse with mechanical equipment atop the penthouse.

This work was shown in photo boards; material samples; and drawings L-001, D-L-1-1 through D-L-103, and
D-L-202, dated April 13, 2006; L-002, L-004, L-202, and L-203, dated April 13, 2006, revised July 28, 2006;
L-003, D-L-200, D-L-201, D-L-300, L-106, L-301, and L-600, dated April 13, 2006, revised September 14,
2006; L-100 through L-104, dated April 13, 2006, revised July 13, 2006; L-105, L-200, and L-201, dated April
13, 2006, revised September 5, 2006; L-203.1, dated July 13, 2006, revised September 14, 2006; L-404 and
L-700, dated July 13, 2006; L-405, dated July 13, 2006, revised July 28, 2006; L-601 and L-602 through L-605,
dated April 13, 2006, revised September 13, 2006; L-601B, dated August 1, 2006, revised September 13, 2006;
and L-606 dated April 16, 2006, revised September 13, 2006; prepared by Joseph Pell Lombardi, R.A., and
submitted as components of the application, and presented at the Public Hearing and Public Meetings.

In reviewing this application, the Commission noted that the Tribeca East Historic District designation report
describes 56 Walker as An Italianate/Second Empire style store and loft building built c.1866; and that the
building's style, scale, materials, and details are among those features that contribute to the special architectural
and historic character of the Tribeca East Historic District.

With regard to this proposal, the Commission found that the replacement of the existing ground floor infill will
eliminate unsympathetic alterations that detract from the significant architectural features of the building, without
causing the removal of any historic fabric; that the configuration and details of the proposed storefront infill,
featuring paneled wood bulkheads, painted wood framing, and a large display window, fit neatly within the
openings created by the historic cast iron piers and will be in keeping with storefronts historically found on
building of this age and style; that the new storefront infill will reintroduce a high level of transparency to the
ground floor which is in keeping with the storefronts historically found on buildings of this age and style; that the
change in the fenestration pattern at the rear facade will not call undue attention to itself and away from adjacent
rear façades; that the proposed rooftop addition will be simple in design and massing and will be in keeping with
the form and massing of the building and typical historic rooftop accretions in the Tribeca East Historic District;
that the addition will not be visible in conjunction with the building on which it sits, will only be visible from a
great distance away on Mercer Street in the context of other rear facades and utilitarian rooftop structures, and
will read as a background element in the roofscape; and that the proposed railing at the rear of the building will
be minimally visible from Mercer Street and will not detract from the roofscape. Based on these findings, the
Commission determined that the work is appropriate to the building and to the historic district, and voted to
approve this application.

However, in voting to grant this approval, the Commission made its determination subject to the stipulation that
two sets of final signed and sealed drawings, showing the approved work, which are to be filed at the Department
of Buildings, be submitted to the staff of the Commission for review and approval.

Subsequently, on December 13, 2006, the staff of the Commission received drawings L-000, dated October 16,
2006; L-100 through L-105, L-301, dated April 13, 2006, revised October 16, 2006; L-106, dated March 10,
2006, revised December 12, 2006; L-200, dated April 13, 2006, revised September 5, 2006; L-201, dated April
13, 2006, revised December 12, 2006; L-202, dated April 13, 2006, revised July 28, 2006; A-400 and A-401,
dated January 19, 2006, revised March 10, 2006; L-403, dated April 13, 2006, revised July 13, 2006; L-404,
dated July 13, 2006 L-405, dated July 13, 2006, revised July 28, 2006; D-L-100, dated April 26, 2006; D-L-101
through D-L-103 and D-L-202, dated April 13, 2006; and D-L-200, D-l-201, and D-L-300, dated April 13, 2006,
revised September 14, 2006; prepared by Joseph Pell Lombardi, R.A.;
S-1, S-2, and S-3, dated April 10, 2006; and S-4 and S-5, dated April 10, 2006, revised November 4, 2006;
prepared by Jack W. Mendelson, P.E.; and H1.01, H-3.01 through H3.07, H4.01, H5.01, H6.01, P-1.01, P3.01
through P3.07, P5.01, P5.02, P6.01, SP1.01, and SP 3.01 through SP3.06, dated August 28, 2006, revised
December 7, 2006, prepared by Lana Naoum, P.E. The Commission staff noted that the drawings included
additional work including, at the penthouse roof, installing four new HVAC units, four exhaust vents on built-up
curbs, two chimney flues, and 12 vent pipes; and installing a railing around the north, west, and south perimeter
of the roof and around the open stair case. With regard to the additional work, the Commission finds, that in
accordance with the provision of the RCNY, Title 63, Section 2-19 that the proposed work at the roofs consists
solely of mechanical equipment; that it will not result in damage to, or demolition of, a significant architectural
features of the roof of the structure on which the rooftop installation are to be constructed; that it will be
minimally visible from a public thoroughfare; and that it will not adversely affect significant architectural features
of adjacent improvements. The Commission reviewed the submitted drawings and found that proposal approved
by the Commission has been maintained. Therefore, these drawings are being marked approved by the
Commission with a perforated seal, and this Certificate of Appropriateness is being issued.

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
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.

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Issued: 1/2/07
DOCKET: 07-4201
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 Rob Panepinto.




Robert B. Tierney
Chair

PLEASE NOTE: PERFORATED DRAWINGS AND A COPY OF THIS PERMIT HAVE BEEN SENT TO:
Caroline Schweyer, Joseph Pell Lombardi and Associates

cc: Caroline Schweyer; William Neeley, Deputy Director of Preservation




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Issued: 1/2/07
DOCKET: 07-4201

Added to EveryBlock on January 16, 2008.

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