Landmark permit issued for 13 WEST 9TH STREET, MANHATTAN in Greenwich Village

Landmark building permit details

Location 13 WEST 9TH STREET, MANHATTAN
Issue date April 4, 2008
(?) COFA COFA 08-8642

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 08-1399
Historic district Greenwich Village
Landmark name N/A
Expiration date January 22, 2014
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 January 22, 2008, following the Public Hearing of the same date, voted to
approve a proposal to alter the grade of the rear yard and construct a garden wall, as put forward in your
application completed December 27, 2007. The approval will expire January 22, 2014.

The work, as approved, consists of removal of the existing bluestone pavers and excavation of 6' of earth at the
rear yard; construction of a 9' 6" concrete and stucco retaining wall with a limestone coping; and installation of a
bluestone step and nosing (made from the salvaged bluestone pavers) that bridges the 1' grade difference between
the existing areaway and the proposed new grade. As initially presented, the proposal called for a garden wall
that was 3' taller. The work was illustrated with a massing model, and presentation boards consisting of
photographs, a photomontage, and drawings labeled 1, 2, and 3, prepared by Doug Stiles Interior Design, and
presented at the Public Hearing and Public Meeting.

In reviewing this proposal, the Commission noted that the Greenwich Village Historic District designation report
describes 13 West 9th Street as an Anglo-Italianate townhouse built in 1855; and that the building's scale,
materials, and details contribute to the special architectural and historic character of the Greenwich Village
Historic District. The Commission also noted that Warning Letter 01-0847 was issued May 22, 2001 for
"Replacement of windows at 3rd and 4th floors without permit(s)."

With regard to this proposal, the Commission found that the proposed garden wall will not be visible from any
public thoroughfare; that the proposed work will not damage or destroy any significant historic fabric; that the
adjacent rear yards exhibit a variety of grades, therefore the proposal, which calls for excavating six feet of earth
at the rear yard, will not disrupt a continuous green space of a consistent grade; and that the surrounding rear
yards have enclosures that are as high, or nearly as high, as the proposed garden wall, therefore, the height of the
proposed wall is in keeping with its context, and will not overwhelm other nearby rear yards. Based on these
findings, the Commission determined the proposed work to be appropriate to the building and the Greenwich
Village Historic District, and voted to approve it, with modifications. Specifically, the Commissioners found that
a solid masonry wall of almost 13' was unduly tall, and not in keeping with typical garden walls, which
characteristically terminate in a more transparent material, such as wood or an iron railing. The Commission
required that the applicant submit a revised design that would include more transparency at the upper 3' of the
wall.

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, with the
required changes.

Subsequently, on March 31, 2008, the Landmarks Preservation Commission received final architectural drawings
T-1, GN-1, S-1 through S-7, dated revised 3/28/08, prepared by John Becker, P.E. Accordingly, staff reviewed
the drawings and found that the proposal has been revised to include a masonry garden wall that was 3' shorter
than initially proposed, and that the revisions complied with the Commission's conditions for approval. Based on
this and the above findings, the drawings have been marked approved with a perforated seal, and Certificate of
Appropriateness 08-8642 is being issued.

PLEASE NOTE: Warning Letter 01-0847 remains in force against the property. Failure to address this Warning
Letter may result in the issuance of a Notice of Violation originating from the Environmental Control Board in
accordance with Title 63 of the Rules of the City of New York, Section 7-02(c). This NOV would require a court
appearance and a civil penalty may be imposed.

ADDITIONALLY, PLEASE NOTE: 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 permit to inform the Department of Buildings 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 Andria Darby.




Robert B. Tierney
Chair

PLEASE NOTE: PERFORATED DRAWINGS AND A COPY OF THIS PERMIT HAVE BEEN SENT TO:
Douglas Stiles, Doug Stiles Interior Design

cc: Linna Hunt, R.A.; Caroline Kane Levy, Deputy Director of Preservation


PAGE 2
Issued: 4/4/08
DOCKET: 08-1399

Added to EveryBlock on April 25, 2008.

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