Landmark building permit details
| Location | 350 FIFTH AVENUE, MANHATTAN |
|---|---|
| Issue date | December 14, 2007 |
| (?) COFA | COFA 08-4509 |
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 | 07-9438 |
| Historic district | N/A |
| Landmark name | THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING |
| Expiration date | October 9, 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 9, 2007, following the Public Hearing of October 9, 2007, voted to grant a Certificate of Appropriateness for the proposed work at the subject premises, as put forward in your application completed on September 13, 2007. The proposed work, as approved, consists of amendments to Certificate of Appropriateness 729, issued November 24, 1981, for an exterior storefront master plan, and also establishment of a master plan governing the future installation of storefronts and signage in the ground floor lobby, and the installation of fixtures within the designated interior portion of the ground floor: with the amendments to the exterior storefront master plan to include allowing for the installation of revolving doors, and hinged doors in combination with revolving doors, in addition to the previously approved hinged doors; the installation of replicas of the historic transom grilles; installing black terrazzo paving and aluminum ceiling panels at the recessed entrances; documenting the dimensions and materials of the storefronts; and modifying the design of the exterior signage mounted at the black granite signband, replacing the previously pin-mounted non-illuminated aluminum letters in the "Broadway" font, approved pursuant to Certificate of Appropriateness 729, with pin-mounted edge-lit brushed aluminum letters in the "Empire State Building" font, developed for the building. The interior storefront master plan includes identifying the historic locations of storefronts within the designated portion of the ground floor; establishing approved configurations for the use of hinged doors in single, paired, and multiple configurations, and also approved configurations for display windows and sidelights; materials; details; and the location of signage in selected transom panels: with the approved signage plan identifying the locations of historic signage to be preserved; approving the use of the "Empire State Building" font; and identifying materials, details, and locations for approved illuminated signage, flat signs, and standing signs. The proposal also includes work at the interior designated spaces, which are not part of the approved master plans, to include stone work in selected locations, including new stone pavers and stone wall cladding, with all new stone to match the historic pavers and wall cladding still in place adjacent to the areas of work in terms of pattern, color, graining, profiles, details, and finish; including removing existing modern escalators from the south corridor and installing new stone paving and stone wall cladding, matching the stone removed at the time the escalators were installed; removing eight internally illuminated plastic panels depicting the "Seven Wonders of the World", the Empire State Building, and related wall mounted signage from the north corridor, and HVAC grilles and miscellaneous metal brackets from all the corridors, and installing new stone wall cladding; removing existing modern metal infill panels from the north corridor and installing new art glass panels, based on historic art glass soffits in place at the building, behind the proposed location for one of the security desks; removing the name holders from four tenant directories, two in the north corridor and two in the south, leaving the metal frame in place, and installing new artwork in the openings; installing two new security desks, one each in the north and south corridors; relocating brushed chrome turnstiles from the north and south corridors to several locations in the elevator bank halls, with related repairs to the floors where the units are removed; and modifying the stone cladding and openings at the west end of the north and south corridors, creating wider openings to create additional circulation space in the non-designated areas of the ground floor, and allowing replacement of the doors to the telephone vestibules on the West 33rd Street side of the building, all as shown in drawings LPC-I-1 through LPC-I-28, LPC-II-1 through LPC-II-16, LPC-III-1, LPC-III-2, LPC-III-A1 through LPC-III-A7, LPC-III-B1 through LPC-III-B5, LPC-III-C1 through LPC-III-C9, LPC-III-D1 through LPC-III-D4, LPC-III-E through LPC-III-E4, and LPC-IV-1 through LPC-IV-17, all dated October 9, 2007, which include floor plans, elevations, detail drawings, renderings and photographs of the existing conditions, all prepared by Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Planners and submitted as components of the application. In reviewing this proposal, the Commission noted that the designation report states that the Empire State Building is an Art Deco style office building with an Art Deco style lobby designed by Shreve, Lamb and Harmon and built in 1930-31. The Commission further noted that Certificate of Appropriateness 729 was issued on November 24, 1981, approving a Master Plan governing the future replacement of exterior storefronts; and that the Commission has approved over thirty Authorizations to Proceed for storefront alterations pursuant to the Certificate of Appropriateness. With regard to this proposal, the Commission found that the proposed modifications to the existing exterior storefront master plan, and the proposed interior storefront master plan, will retain all significant historic features of these storefronts; that the additional storefront entrance configurations being proposed for inclusion under the exterior master plan, including recessed revolving doors, and recessed entrances with both hinged and revolving doors, will relate harmoniously with the historic and existing exterior storefront configurations; that the proposed interior storefront master plan will insure that the careful detailing of the original historic elements, including stone bulkheads with decorative grilles, aluminum and bronze frames and sign bands above the 33rd and 34th Street lobby doors, is retained or replicated where elements have been lost in earlier renovations, insuring continuing long-term design uniformity; that the changes to the entrances to the telephone lobbies is consistent with the storefront master plan; that the proposed signage master plan, based on the applicant's proposed Empire State Building font, will help to further unify the designated exterior and interior; that the proposed signage master plan would retain all significant historic signage still in place within the designated interior, and historic lettering included in the original artwork within the space; that the new Empire State Building font will closely match the appearance of the previously approved Broadway font, insuring that the change in the font for exterior signage will be harmonious as stores are re-leased and re-signed; that removal of the existing modern wall panels, including the Seven Wonders of the World Panels, the tenant directories, metal panels installed over store windows, and the side panels of the escalators in the south corridor, will not cause the destruction of any significant protected historic elements; that the information panels, proposed for the former tenant directory areas, and the etched glass panels, will be simply detailed in a manner which will not draw undue attention to themselves; that the design of the etched glass panels, proposed for the area behind the information desk, based on historic decorative glass in the lobby, will be well integrated within the design of the lobby; that opening up the western ends of the east/west corridors, to create additional lobby space outside the designated interior area, will require removal of only a relatively small area of historic stone cladding; that the proposed service desks for the interior lobby will be installed in such a way as to present a slim profile and minimal obstruction looking down the long east/west corridors; that each of the service desks will be centered on historic stone wall panels within the corridors, helping to integrate the desks within the historic design; that the materials and simple PAGE 2 Issued: 12/14/07 DOCKET: 07-9438 modern designs of the service desks will be harmonious with the materials and design of the lobby; that the attachment of the service desks, and small penetration through the historic stone floors, to provide electrical services, will be minimal and reversible; that relocating the security turnstiles, installed pursuant to Certificate of Appropriateness 03-3990, issued on December 30, 2002, will bring the east/west corridors closer to their historic appearance; and that the proposed work will not diminish the special architectural and historic character of this Interior and Individual Landmark. Based on these findings, the Commission determined the proposed work to be appropriate to the building, and voted to approve it. However, in making its determination, the Commission stipulated that the font for the exterior signs be limited to the "Empire State Building" font; that the entire alphabet be submitted for final review and approval; that the Seven Wonders of the World panels be relocated elsewhere in the building; and that two sets of signed and sealed Department of Building construction drawings be submitted to the Commission for review. On October 18, 2007, the Commission received drawings T0.00 through T0.03, D1.01, D1.02, A1.01, A1.02, A1.11, A1.12, A1.21, A1.21a, A4.01, A4.02, A5.03, A5.06, A5.07, A5.08, A7.01, A7.02, and A7.03, all dated October 9, 2007, prepared and submitted by Beyer Blinder Belle Architects. Staff has reviewed these materials and finds that they include only the proposed changes to the interior, exclusive of the exterior storefront, interior storefront, and signage master plans; and that the proposal approved by the Commission for this part of the work has been maintained. Based on this and the above findings, Certificate of Appropriateness 08-4509 is being issued. The exterior storefront master plan sets a standard for all future installations of storefronts at the primary Fifth Avenue, West 33rd Street and West 44th Street facades of the building, and specifically identifies drawings and materials which describe the approved master plan in detail. The signage master plan locates historic signage to be preserved, and sets a standard for all future installations of additional signage at the exterior and designated interio portions of the building, and specifically identifies drawings and materials which describe the approved master plan in detail. The interior storefront master plan sets a standard for all future installations of interior storefronts at the Fifth Avenue, the north corridor, and the south corridors within the designated interior portions of the building, and specifically identifies drawings and materials which describe the approved master plan in detail. The If tenants wish to move forward with a portion of the work covered by these master plans, they must submit a complete application form signed by an officer of the cooperation corporation identifying the specific location(s) of the proposed work, showing the proposed area(s) of work circled on the specific approved master plan drawing(s) and stating that the installation will conform to the approved master plan drawings on file with the Commission. The staff of the Commission will review the application to determine that all of the proposed work is in conformance with the master plans. Upon such determination, the staff will issued an Authorization to Proceed letter for the proposed work. Please note that when the staff of the Commission receives the required two sets of signed and sealed Department of Building construction drawings showing the approved master plans, and, after reviewing them, determines that the submitted drawings conform to the designs approved by the Commission, this Certificate of Appropriateness will be amended to include the master plan drawings. However, no work related to the master plans should be started until this Certificate of Appropriateness is amended and 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. 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 PAGE 3 Issued: 12/14/07 DOCKET: 07-9438 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 John Graham. Robert B. Tierney Chair PLEASE NOTE: PERFORATED DRAWINGS AND A COPY OF THIS PERMIT HAVE BEEN SENT TO: Richard Metsky, Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Planners cc: Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Planners, attn: Richard Metsky PAGE 4 Issued: 12/14/07 DOCKET: 07-9438 |
Added to EveryBlock on February 1, 2008.
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