Landmark permit issued for 480 AMSTERDAM AVENUE, MANHATTAN in Upper West Side - CPW

Landmark building permit details

Location 480 AMSTERDAM AVENUE, MANHATTAN
Issue date May 13, 2008
(?) COFA COFA 08-9791

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 08-8672
Historic district Upper West Side - CPW
Landmark name N/A
Expiration date March 25, 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 March 25, 2008, following the Public Hearing of the same date, voted to
approve certain work at the subject premises, with modifications, as put forward in your application completed on
February 28, 2008; as described in Status Update Letter 08-8341 (LPC 08-1438) issued on March 25, 2008.

The proposal, as approved, includes the removal of the existing non-historic storefront infill and signage at the
corner storefront; the installation of new wood and glass storefront infill and at the Amsterdam Avenue and West
83rd Street elevations, painted dark brown, and featuring paneled bulkheads; installing a retractable awning with
unframed skirts at the Amsterdam Avenue, clad with water-repellant black canvas, and with white lettering on the
skirt ("Tavern"); installing a 2'-6" wood sign at the spandrel painted Pittsburgh Paints 327-7 "Burled Redwood",
with 12" high recessed frosted glass letters ("Soldier McGee") and two painted portraits, and with integrated cove
light; rebuilding a portion of damaged stone cornice above the southern stone pier using a proprietary patching
mortar; and painting the spandrel a cream color to match the rest of the painted masonry at the storefront. The
proposal, as originally presented, called for the installation of a bracket sign at the corner. The proposal was
shown on presentation boards consisting of a historic district map, current condition photographs, elevation and
plan drawings, renderings, and detail drawings labeled LPC 000 through LPC 014, dated received March 11,
2008, prepared by M Studio, and all presented at the Public Hearing and Public Meeting.

In reviewing this proposal, the Commission noted that the designation report describes 480 Amsterdam Avenue
as a Renaissance Revival style tenement building designed by Charles Rentz and built in 1894-95; and that the
building's style, scale, materials and details are among the features that contribute to the special architectural and
historic character of the Upper West Side/Central Park West Historic District.

With regard to this proposal, the Commission found that the removal of the existing storefront infill will not
eliminate any significant historic features; that the proposed work will restore the original size of the storefront
opening and the transparency of the ground floor, which is characteristic of commercial storefronts within the
historic district; that the proposed storefront infill, including doors with paneled bases, transoms, and glazed
windows will be in keeping with the vocabulary of historic storefront configurations; that the solid panels at the
bottom of the doors will recall bulkheads, which are typical features found on storefronts in buildings of this age,
style and type; that the storefront, while consisting solely of operable doors, will feature fixed framing members
flanking the main entry doors and therefore will not create a void at the base when open; that the proposed
painted finish for the storefront infill is in keeping with the historic color palette of a building of this style and
age; that the awning is in keeping with the placement and type of awnings historically found on building of this
age and style; that the installation of a painted wood sign band with inset letters at the spandrel above the
storefront is in keeping with signage historically found on buildings of this age and type; and that the proposed
integrated cove light at the painted wood sign band will be of a small size and discrete installation, and therefore
will not call undue attention to itself.

However, the Commission made its determination subject to the stipulation that the bracket sign be removed from
the proposal; and that the existing sign be removed to reveal the existing condition at the spandrel and to confirm
that no molding or cornice would be obscured by the new sign. Furthermore, the Commission required that two
sets of signed and sealed Department of Buildings filing drawings be submitted to the Commission for review and
approval. Subsequently, on April 24, 2008, the Commission received drawings LPC 000 through LPC 012, dated
April 15, 2008, prepared by Anthony J. Morali, R.A. The Commission reviewed the drawings and found that the
changes requested by the Commission have been incorporated into the proposal and that the new sign would not
obscure significant features. Based on this and the above findings, the drawings are being marked approved with
a perforated seal, and Certificate of Appropriateness 08- 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 Jacqueline Peu-Duvallon.




Robert B. Tierney
Chair

PLEASE NOTE: PERFORATED DRAWINGS AND A COPY OF THIS PERMIT HAVE BEEN SENT TO:
Anthony Morali, M Studio

cc: Caroline Kane Levy, Deputy Director, Preservation/LPC




PAGE 2
Issued: 5/13/08
DOCKET: 08-8672

Added to EveryBlock on July 1, 2008.

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