Landmark permit issued for 249 CENTRAL PARK WEST, MANHATTAN in Upper West Side - CPW
Landmark building permit details
| Location | 249 CENTRAL PARK WEST, MANHATTAN |
|---|---|
| Issue date | January 18, 2008 |
| (?) COFA | COFA 08-6518 |
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 | 08-0289 |
| Historic district | Upper West Side - CPW |
| Landmark name | N/A |
| Expiration date | September 11, 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 September 11, 2007, following the Public Hearing of September 11, 2007, voted to deny a proposal to remove an iron garden gate on the 85th Street facade, and construct a new garage entrance and a curb cut, and voted to approve construction of a rooftop addition and a rear yard addition, as put forth in your application completed on August 16, 2007. The work denied consists of the removal of the historic garden gate, visible in the tax photos of the building, the construction of a round-headed garage door opening in the location of the gate, with an iron and glass garage door based on the historic ironwork, and also the construction of a new curb cut giving access to the garage. The work which was approved consists of the construction of a one-story rooftop addition on the roof of the main house, and also the construction of a three story addition in the garden area on the west side of the property, set back from the street wall on the West 85th Street facade. The proposal was shown in drawings 1 through 18, all dated September 11, 2007, which included a block plan, the original developer's plan, existing and proposed floor plans, sections, and elevations, a drawing of the existing garden gate and of the proposed garage door, two historic tax photographs, photographs of the existing conditions, photo-montages of both facades, including views from Central Park and West 85th Street, and materials samples, all prepared and presented at the Public Hearing and Public Meeting by BKSK Architects. In reviewing this proposal, the Commission noted that the Upper West Side/Central Park West Historic District Designation Report states that 249 Central Park West is a Queen Anne style rowhouse designed by Edward L. Angell and built in 1887-88; and that the building is on the south-west corner of Central Park West and West 85th Street. The Commission also noted that Certificate of Appropriateness 00-7144 was issued on May 23, 2000, to construct a minimally visible rear yard addition on the west facade; that Certificate of Appropriateness 00-7833, was issued on June 28, 2000, allowing window alterations on the north facade, and the removal of the roof of a two-story rear extension to create an enclosed terrace at the second floor; that the two street facades are primary facades; and that the west façade is a secondary façade which is visible from the street. With regard to the proposed removal of the garden gate, and the construction of a new garage entrance and a curb cut, the Commission found that the removal of the existing arched garden gate will eliminate a significant architectural feature; that the large scale of the proposed opening for the garage door will not relate well to the other historic arched openings at the areaway level; and that curb cuts and driveways are not typical features found on side streets in this historic district. Based on these findings, the Commission determined this portion of the proposed work to be inappropriate to the building, and voted to deny this portion of the application. With regard to the proposed rooftop addition and rear yard additions, the Commission found that that the location of the proposed rooftop addition, set behind the parapets on all three sides, will help to minimize its visibility; that the large corner tower, gables, and chimneys on the Central Park West and West 85th Street facades will further obscure the view of the proposed rooftop addition from Central Park and the adjacent streets; that increasing the height of the chimney on the West 85th Street façade will match the height of the historic chimneys on the Central park West façade, visible in the tax photos, and will be in keeping with the typical roofline of Queen Anne style rowhouses; that the horizontal massing and neutral finish of the lead-coated copper cladding will help the addition recede from view; that removing the modern pipe rail on the west parapet, and extending the brick parapet wall, will not detract from the simple character of this secondary façade; that setting the rear yard addition back from the plane of the street wall of the existing extension will help to retain a sense of the building's original massing and will relate well to the street wall of the rowhouse to the west; that the rear addition will not rise to the full height of the building, and will therefore not overwhelm this house; that because the proposed addition will be located within a service alley which is separate from the central green space, the proposed rear yard addition will not diminish the central green space; that the materials and detailing of the rear yard addition will help it to relate harmoniously to the historic structure, and that for these reasons the proposed rooftop and rear yard additions will not detract from the special character of the building, the street- scape, or the historic district. Based on these findings, the Commission determined this portion of the proposed work to be appropriate to the building, and voted to approve it. On December 17, 2007, the Commission received drawings 1 through 18, all dated December 11, 2007, prepared and submitted by BKSK Architects. Staff has reviewed this drawing and finds that the proposal approved by the Commission has been maintained. Based on this and the above findings, Certificate of Appropriateness 08-6518 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 John Graham. PAGE 2 Issued: 1/18/08 DOCKET: 08-0289 Robert B. Tierney Chair PLEASE NOTE: PERFORATED DRAWINGS AND A COPY OF THIS PERMIT HAVE BEEN SENT TO: Harry C. Kendall, Jr., AIA, BKSK Architects LLP cc: BKSK Architects LLP, attn: Harry C. Kendall, Jr., AIA PAGE 3 Issued: 1/18/08 DOCKET: 08-0289 |
Added to EveryBlock on March 28, 2008.