Landmark permit issued for 857 FIFTH AVENUE, MANHATTAN in Upper East Side

Landmark building permit details

Location 857 FIFTH AVENUE, MANHATTAN
Issue date June 11, 2008
COFA COFA 09-0771
Docket 08-6890
Historic district Upper East Side
Landmark name N/A
Expiration date June 10, 2014
Text ISSUED TO:
Joseph Walsh
857 Fifth Avenue Owners, Inc.
415 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10017


Pursuant to Section 25-307 of the Administrative Code of the City of New York, the Landmarks Preservation
Commission, at the Public Meeting of of June 10, 2008, following the Public Hearing of June 10, 2008, voted to
grant a Certificate of Appropriateness for the proposed work at the subject premises, as put forth in your
application completed on May 15, 2008.

The approved work, at the sixteenth floor, consists of the construction of a greenhouse on an existing terrace on
the East 67th Street facade, framed in white metal and set on the parapet of the terrace, and the removal of the
existing windows and doors in the interior facade facing the greenhouse, as shown in drawing A3.1, dated March
5, 2008, showing the floor plan, a section through the greenhouse, details, and a partial elevation; in photographs
of the existing conditions; photographs of a mock-up constructed on site; a sketch of the mock-up; a rendering of
the proposed greenhouse; and a block plan, all prepared and presented at the Public Hearing and the Public
Meeting by the Spector Group, and in photographs from Commission files.

In reviewing this proposal, the Commission noted that the designation report describes 857 Fifth Avenue as an
apartment building designed by Robert L. Bien and built in 1961; and that this building is not one of the buildings
for which the Upper East Side Historic District was designated. The Commission also noted that Certificate of No
Effect 87-0581 was issued on February 25, 1987, for the construction of a greenhouse on an existing 16th floor
terrace facing west towards Fifth Avenue at the same apartment; that Commission Denial 91-0031 was issued on
October 26, 1990, denying a proposal to enclose a recessed terrace on the ninth floor on the Fifth Avenue façade;
and that the East 67th Street facade has several terraced setbacks.

With regard to this proposal, the Commission found that, as the building is not one for which the Upper East Side
Historic District was designated, therefore, the addition of a small greenhouse enclosure at a terrace setback will
not detract from the special architectural or historic character of the streetscape or the historic district as a whole;
and that precedent exists on this building for the installation of terrace greenhouse enclosures. Based on these
findings, the Commission determined this portion of the proposed work to be appropriate to the building, and
voted to approve it.

The Commission has received drawings A1.0, A3.0, Demolition Plan, A3.0, Floor Plan, and A3.1, with attached
photographs, all dated March 5, 2008, prepared and submitted by the Spector Group. Staff has reviewed these
materials and finds that the proposal approved by the Commission has been maintained in the filing drawings.
Based on this and the approved findings, Certificate of Appropriateness 09-0771 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.




Robert B. Tierney
Chair

PLEASE NOTE: PERFORATED DRAWINGS AND A COPY OF THIS PERMIT HAVE BEEN SENT TO:
Michelle Wertheimer, William Vitacco Associates

cc: William Vitacco Associates, attn: Michelle Wertheimer




PAGE 2
Issued: 6/11/08
DOCKET: 08-6890

Added to EveryBlock on July 1, 2008.