Landmark building permit details
| Location | 241 FIFTH AVENUE, MANHATTAN |
|---|---|
| Issue date | October 20, 2008 |
| (?) COFA | COFA 09-4669 |
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 | 09-3561 |
| Historic district | Madison Square North |
| Landmark name | N/A |
| Expiration date | June 13, 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 June 13, 2006, following the Public Hearing of April 25, 2006, voted to grant a Certificate of Appropriateness for the proposed work at the subject premises, as put forth in your application completed on March 30, 2006. This permit will expire on June 13, 2012. The proposed work, as approved, consists of demolishing the existing four-story building; and constructing a new glass and terra cotta clad, twenty story building featuring at the ground floor, an aluminum storefront infill with four entrance doors; constructing an aluminum and glass canopy with underside recessed lights located at the second-most northern bay; installing non-illuminated adhesive mounted letters (less then 16 inches in height), located above the other three bays within the sign band; cladding the ground floor up through the fourteenth floors with a terra cotta rain guard system, and the upper floors in window wall system. The proposal, as initially presented to the Commission included an interior floor division of nineteen stories plus mezzanine, thinner columns at the buildings' two set backs, and a shallower profile between the window system and the terra cotta system. The work was shown in photomontages within the streetscape, material samples, and presentation boards labeled 0 through 12, dated April 25, 2006 and revised presentation boards labeled 7,8,9,11,12, and 14, dated May 16, 2006, all prepared by Perkins Eastman Architect, and presented at the Public Hearing and Public Meeting. In reviewing the application, the Commission noted that the Madison Square North Historic District designation report describes 241 Fifth Avenue as an office building built circa 1989. The Commission also noted that 239 and 241 Fifth Avenue were constructed as individual brownstones in the mid-century, and were altered in the mid-20th century by combining the building interiors and constructing a common façade; and that the current façade, consisting of glass and granite, is a circa 1989 alteration. The Commission further noted that the Madison Square North Historic District contains a rich and varied collection of brownstone residences, large apartment buildings, hotels, and high-rise office and loft structures; that the various buildings reflect the commercial history of New York City from the 1870s to the 1930s when this district prospered, first, as an entertainment center, and then as a mercantile district; that the introduction of the high speed elevators at the turn of the century, and the planning of the new subway routes stimulated the development of high-rise steel frame commercial buildings in this district; that the early residential buildings were converted to commercial use by the 1880s; that the buildings were built in a variety of styles, including Queen Anne, Renaissance Revival, Moorish Revival, Classical Revival, Beaux Arts, neo-Gothic and Art Deco, and they feature a variety of masonry cladding materials, including brownstone, limestone, terra cotta, and a variety of brick. With regard to this proposal, the Commission found that the existing four story glass and granite building is not a building for which the Madison Square North Historic District was designated, and therefore, its demolition will not diminish the special architectural and historic character the historic district; that the Madison Square North Historic District features an eclectic collection of low buildings adjacent to taller, commercial buildings, with various heights ranging from 3 stories to 28 stories in height, and that the height of the proposed building will fit in with the variety of heights found throughout the historic district; that the modular organization of the facades, the predominant expression of structure and the palette of materials and finishes will recall and harmonize with the buildings in the surrounding streetscape, and particularly the larger steel frame commercial buildings; that the massing of the building, with the use of deep recesses at the three juncture points between base, shaft and top, effectively relate to the traditional tripartite configurations commercial buildings found throughout the historic district; that the planer changes in the windows and the railings will help to provide some of the articulation found on buildings within the district; that the regularized pattern of glass and spandrel glass on the front façade, juxtaposed to the seemingly random pattern found on the south façade, establishes a clear hierarchy between the primary and secondary facades; that the materials of the proposed building, including clear finished aluminum, un-glazed terra cotta, and opaque spandrel glass, while contemporary, will evoke the variety of façade materials found on the various building types within this historic district; that the panels of the terra cotta rain-screen will recall the blocking and scoring pattern found on masonry buildings located throughout the district; -that the design and height of the base of the building will harmonize with the bases of the large buildings in this historic district; that the transparency at the ground floor street facades, will be consistent with the commercial character of Fifth Avenue in this historic district; that the set backs at the ground floor infill, and at each of the door bays, effectively change the plane of the skin of the building, and give subtle shadow and depth to the facades; that the proposed entrance canopy will relate to the mixed use character of this historic district which featured entertainment buildings, hotels and commercial buildings; that the mechanical work at the roof is set back from the street wall, and will be minimally visible from the street; and that the presence of the proposed new building will enhance the special architectural character of the historic district. 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 October 1, 2008, the staff of the Commission received site logistics drawings labeled SL-1 and SL-2 dated August 24, 2008, signed and sealed by Darrell Alvarez, P.E., and drawings labeled Z100 through Z108, LS 100 through LS103, EE001, EE002, EE003, A000, A001, A002, A100C, A100 through A111, A200C, A200 through A209, A300, A310, A311, A312, A320, A321, A322, A400, A401, A410, A411, A412, A413, A500, A700 through A705, A720, A800, A810, A820, A830, A840, A841, A842, A843, dated last revised April 11, 2008, signed and sealed by Aaron B. Schwartz , structural drawings labeled S-0 through S-13, S-100, S-200, S-300 through S-306, S-400, S-401, S-501, S-500, dated June 21, 2008, signed and sealed by Aamer Islam, P.E. and drawings labeled M-001, M-100 through M-113, M-300, M-400, M-401, M-402, M-500, P001, P100 through P111, P300, P400, P4500, P501, P5-2, Fp001, FP100 through FP111, FP400 and FP500, dated last revised June 24, 2008, signed and sealed by Richard J. Pearson, P.E. Accordingly, staff reviewed the drawings and found that the 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. PAGE 2 Issued: 10/20/08 DOCKET: 09-3561 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 Kim Valente. Robert B. Tierney Chair PLEASE NOTE: PERFORATED DRAWINGS AND A COPY OF THIS PERMIT HAVE BEEN SENT TO: Robert Marino, Perkins Eastmen cc: Perkins Eastmen; Code LLC; William Neeley, Deputy Director of Preservation PAGE 3 Issued: 10/20/08 DOCKET: 09-3561 |
Added to EveryBlock on December 3, 2008.
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