Landmark permit issued for 26 WEST 76TH STREET, MANHATTAN in UPPER WEST SIDE-CPW

Landmark building permit details

Location 26 WEST 76TH STREET, MANHATTAN
Issue date April 13, 2007
(?) COFA COFA 07-7598

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 07-6285
Historic district Upper West Side - CPW
Landmark name N/A
Expiration date February 27, 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 February 27, 2007, following the Public Hearing of the same date, voted to
approve a proposal for work at the subject premises, as put forward in your application completed February 1,
2007, and as you were informed in the Status Update Letter issued on February 28, 2007 (SUL 07-6353, LPC
07-1321). This approval will expire February 27, 2013.

The proposed work, as approved, consists of creating a new center entrance and service doors at the ground floor;
lowering the sills of the parlor floor windows and installing new French doors and transoms within the enlarged
openings; installing a new balconette with decorative metal railings at the parlor floor; creating a new front
areaway consisting of bluestone pavers, two stairways, planters, masonry piers and a decorative metal railing;
constructing a full-width, three-story with basement rear-yard addition; and rebuilding the rear brick façade at the
fourth-floor with new opening configuration, including a new door; as shown in presentation drawings L-1, L-2,
L-3, L-4A, L-4B, L-5A, L-5B, L-6A, L-6B, L-7 through L-11 dated January 8, 2007, and a proposed façade
rendering, submitted as components of the application, and presented at the Public Meeting and Public Hearing.

In reviewing this proposal, the Commission noted that the Upper West Side/ Central Park West Historic District
designation report describes 26 West 76th Street as a Renaissance Revival style house designed by Schickel &
Ditmars and built in 1896-98; and that in terms of its style, scale, materials, and details, it contributes to the
special architectural and historic character for which the Upper West Side/ Central Park West Historic District
was designated. The Commission further noted that the original stoop had been removed and a basement
entrance created prior to designation.

With regard to this proposal, the Commission found that the work will not result in damage to, or the removal of
significant historic fabric; that the alterations to the front façade are in keeping with the style, scale, and detailing
found on buildings of this age and style in this historic district; that the building is not part of a row of matching
buildings and therefore the proposal will not interrupt the rhythm of the streetscape; that buildings with
decorative center entrances exist on this block; that the proposed decorative metal railings will match the historic
ironwork on the building; that the proposed coursing and door surround details at the first floor will match the
existing masonry above; that the proposed rear yard addition will not be visible from any public thoroughfare;
that the rear addition will not rise to the full height of the rear façade, thereby preserving the historic plane of the
top floor and cornice; that the building is not part of a row, and therefore, the construction of the addition will not
alter the historic character of a row of houses; that the rear façade of the addition will not project further into the
rear yard than the existing addition or the other rear yard additions within this block and, therefore, will not
further diminish the central greenspace; and that the work will not detract from the special character of the Upper
East Side Historic District. Based on these findings, the Commission determined the proposed work to be
appropriate to the building and the historic district, and voted to approve this application.

However, in voting to grant this approval, the Commission stipulated that a set of unmounted copies of the
presentation drawings and two final signed and sealed copies of the Department of Buildings filing drawings for
the approved work be submitted to the staff of the Commission for review and approval.

Subsequently, on March 15, 2007, the Landmarks Preservation Commission received final drawings A000, A001,
D001, D002, D003, D004, A101, A102, A103, A104, A200, A201, A300, A301, and A501 dated issued March
12, 2007 and prepared by Steven Harris, R.A. Staff reviewed the drawings and found that the work also includes
constructing a one-story rooftop addition, including a canopy, and metal railings; installing two HVAC units at
the penthouse roof; replacing nine wood one-over-one, double-hung windows at the second, third, and fourth
floors at the front façade with new wood one-over-one, double-hung windows, painted to match the existing;
cleaning the front façade with a low-pressure water rinse, and interior alterations. Accordingly, staff reviewed the
drawings and found, in accordance with the provisions set forth in Title 63 of the Rules of the City of New York,
Section 2-19(e), that the proposed rooftop addition, railings, and HVAC units will not result in any damage to, or
demolition of, a significant architectural feature of the roof of the structure on which it is constructed; that they
will not be visible from any public thoroughfare; that they do not adversely affect significant architectural
features of adjacent improvements; and that there is no outstanding objection for use or bulk listed on the
objections sheet for such structure; in accordance with Section 3-04, that the new windows at the primary façade
will match the historic windows in terms of configuration, operation, details, material and finish; that the cleaning
of the front façade will be done in the gentlest effective method without causing damage to the masonry; and that
the proposal approved by the Commission has been maintained. Based on this and the above findings, the
drawings are marked approved with a perforated seal, and Certificate of Appropriateness 07-7598 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.

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 Joshua Speakman.




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Issued: 4/13/07
DOCKET: 07-6285
Robert B. Tierney
Chair

PLEASE NOTE: PERFORATED DRAWINGS AND A COPY OF THIS PERMIT HAVE BEEN SENT TO:
Anthony Potestio, J. Callahan Consultants, inc.

cc: C. Kane Levy- Deputy Director of Preservation




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Issued: 4/13/07
DOCKET: 07-6285

Added to EveryBlock on January 16, 2008.

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