Landmark permit issued for 34 EAST 62ND STREET, MANHATTAN in UPPER EAST SIDE
Landmark building permit details
| Location | 34 EAST 62ND STREET, MANHATTAN |
|---|---|
| Issue date | October 30, 2007 |
| (?) COFA | COFA 08-4467 |
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 | 08-3279 |
| Historic district | Upper East Side |
| Landmark name | N/A |
| Expiration date | October 16, 2013 |
| 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 October 16, 2007, following the Public Meetings of September 18, 2007 and August 14, 2007 and the Public Hearing of August 7, 2007, voted to grant a Certificate of Appropriateness for the proposed work at the subject premises, as put forward in your application completed July 12, 2007, and as you were informed in Status Update Letter 08-4215 (LPC 08-0312), issued October 22, 2007. The proposed work, as approved, consists of constructing a new five-story, limestone and glass building, featuring a one-story masonry base; a recessed entrance, with a metal and glass door, parallel to the street; a planter and planting bed in front of the building; a projecting, vertically-oriented masonry bay, extending from the second to the fifth floor levels; metal-framed clear glazing, at the front facade and wrapping around the northwestern corner of the building; a projecting masonry balcony and rooftop overhang; and a masonry western lot-line facade with a vertical line of windows. In addition, the proposal includes translucent glazing at the ground floor entrance door, ground floor window, and the fifth floor and roof railings. The approved work was shown on presentation boards, labeled A-1.0, A-1.1, A-1.2, A-2.1, A-2.2, A-2.3, A-2.4, A-5.1, A-5.2, A-5.3, A-5.4, and A-6.2, dated October 8, 2007; and A-1.3 and A-1.4, dated August 1, 2007 and consisting of drawings, photographs, and photo montages, as well as material samples; and the initial and intermediary proposals were shown on presentation boards, labeled A-1.0, A-1.2, A-1.3, A-2.1, A-2.4, A-6.1, and A-6.2, dated July 24, 2007; A-1.1, A-1.3 and A-1.4, dated August 1, 2007; A-2.2, A-2.3, A-5.1, A-5.2, and A-5.3, dated July 12, 2007; A-1.0, A-1.2, A-5.3, A-5.4, and A-6.2, dated September 12, 2007; and A-1.1, A-2.1, A-2.2, A-2.3, A-2.4, A-5.1, and A-5.2, dated September 6, 2007 and consisting of drawings, photographs, and photo montages, all prepared by Abelow Sherman Architects LLC, and presented at the Public Hearing and Public Meetings. As initially presented, the proposal featured a ground floor entrance door, perpendicular to the street, instead of parallel with the street; a larger planter at the eastern side of the property; no planting bed in front of the western side of the building; a rooftop overhang projecting further from the building; and a clear glass railing at the termination of the building; and, as presented at the second Public Meeting, the proposal featured a ground floor entrance door, perpendicular to the street, instead of parallel with the street; a larger planter; a smaller planting bed; a narrower rooftop overhang; and a masonry band at the termination of the building. In reviewing this proposal, the Commission noted that the brownstone rowhouse, designed by L.D. Russell & J.B. Wray and built in 1881-1882, which previously occupied the site was destroyed by an explosion in 2006. With regard to this proposal, the Commission found that the construction of a new building on this vacant lot will enhance the character of the historic district by reinforcing the street wall, a significant, consistent feature of the historic district; that the height of the building will be in keeping in scale with the neighboring building and other mid-block buildings throughout the district; that the existing streetscape is a diverse mix of building types and styles, therefore the contemporary design and details of the building will not disrupt the unity of an existing row; that while contemporary in design and details, the new building will relate well to the streetscape and historic district through the use of scale, materials, and the hierarchy and organization of façade elements; that the prominent variations in planes at the front façade of the proposed building will be in keeping with the character of many of the district's modern buildings, which feature an emphasis on simple geometric forms and reflect a significant, evolutionary development of design within the Upper East Side Historic District; that although the floor levels do not align with the neighboring buildings, the horizontal divisions, created by the masonry joints and fenestration pattern, will help the proposed building to relate to the scale of the neighboring buildings; that the placement and design of the ground floor entrance door, window, planter and planting bed will be well integrated into the design of the building and consistent with the open and welcoming entrances of residential buildings throughout the district; that the scale and placement of the planter will be well related to the wall and railing at the adjoining property; that the projecting bay will be evocative of the vertical bays and other features found on the historic townhouses in the historic district and will create an animated facade that relates to the richly articulated historic townhouse facades in the district; that the scale of the projecting bay and its individual masonry units will emphasize the vertical orientation of the building, while maintaining a reference to the scale of the individual floors, in keeping with the character of rowhouses throughout the district; that the plane of the exterior façade, aligning with the neighboring building, rather than at the property line, will provide a harmonious transition between the buildings; that the glass windows that wrap the northwestern corner will be compatible with the 20th century apartment building to the west and the adjoining alley; that the use of limestone and glass, materials prominently used throughout the streetscape, will help to integrate the building into the streetscape; that the surface treatment of the masonry will recall, in a contemporary manner, the decorative use of textured masonry throughout the district; that the prominent horizontal divisions of the building will utilize the vocabulary of base, shaft, and termination/capital, common to buildings throughout the district and those horizontal features, along with the vertical bay, will recall the traditional facade elements of townhouses in this historic district; that the cantilevered overhang at the roof will be evocative of the elaborate cornices and dramatic roofline treatment found on buildings in this historic district; that the design of the sidewall will be in keeping with the simple detailing of exposed lot line facades throughout the district; that the depth and design of the rear of the building will be compatible with the scale of the surrounding buildings and harmonious with the character of the proposed building; and that the work supports the special architectural and historic character of the Upper East Side Historic District. Based on these findings, the Commission determined the work to be appropriate to the building and the historic district and voted to approve the application. The Commission authorized the issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness upon receipt, review and approval of two sets of signed and sealed Department of Building filing drawings showing the approved design. Subsequently, on October 22, 2007 and October 30, 2007, the Commission received final drawings A-0.0, A-0.1, A-0.2, A-2.0, A-2.1, A-2.2, A-2.3, A-2.4, A-5.1, A-5.2, A-5.3, A-6.1, A-6.2, A-8.10, A-10.1, and A-10.2, dated revised October 16, 2007; drawing A6.3, dated revised October 4, 2007 and prepared by David H. Sherman, RA; and drawing SK-16, dated April 23, 2007 and prepared by Abelow Sherman Architects, LLC. Accordingly, staff reviewed the drawings and noted that the design approved by the Commission has been maintained. Based on this and the above findings, the drawings have been marked approved with a perforated seal and Certificate of Appropriateness 08-4467 is being issued. PAGE 2 Issued: 10/30/07 DOCKET: 08-3279 This permit is issued contingent upon the Commission's review and approval of drawings for the design and placement of the mail drop at the recessed entrance prior to the commencement of the work. Please forward the drawings to the Commission as soon as they become available. PLEASE NOTE: 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 DOB permit to inform DOB 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 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 Bernadette Artus. Robert B. Tierney Chair PLEASE NOTE: PERFORATED DRAWINGS AND A COPY OF THIS PERMIT HAVE BEEN SENT TO: Anne Roderer, Abelow Sherman Architects LLC cc: Caroline Kane Levy, Deputy Director of Preservation PAGE 3 Issued: 10/30/07 DOCKET: 08-3279 |
Added to EveryBlock on January 16, 2008.