Landmark permit issued for 101 WEST 81ST STREET, MANHATTAN in Upper West Side - CPW

Landmark building permit details

Location 101 WEST 81ST STREET, MANHATTAN
Issue date June 27, 2008
(?) COFA COFA 09-1164

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 09-0913
Historic district Upper West Side - Central Park West
Landmark name N/A
Expiration date April 15, 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 April 15, 2008, following the Public Hearing of the January 22, 2008 and
Public Meeting of February 12, 2008, voted to approve a proposal for work at the subject premises, as put
forward in your application completed March 20, 2008, and as you were informed in Status Update Letter
08-8907, issued on April 16, 2008 (LPC 08-3598). This approval will expire April 15, 2014.

The proposed work, as approved, consists of constructing a new rooftop addition, to be recessed into the roof
structure of the main building, featuring a red brick façade and punched openings with metal clad sliding
windows and a door all with a brown finish, and a new metal picket railing behind the building parapet with a
black finish. The proposal, as originally presented, called for a taller, and subsequently more visible, rooftop
addition. The proposal was shown in existing condition photographs, photo montages and presentation drawings
dated December 21, 2008 and March 24, 2008, prepared by Arpad Baksa Architect PC, submitted as components
of the application and presented at the Public Hearing and Public Meeting.

In reviewing this proposal, the Commission noted that the designation report describes 440-456 Columbus
Avenue [aka 101-107 West 81st Street and 100-108 West 82nd Street] as a Romanesque Revival style hotel
building built in 1889-91 designed by Edward L. Angell; and that the style, scale, materials, design and detail of
the building are among the features which 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 roof of the building has no significant architectural
features which would be lost or damaged as a result of the construction of the proposed addition; that numerous
penthouses and mechanical equipment exist on the rooftop, and are visible from multiple vantage points; that the
proposed penthouse will be minimally visible from the north on Columbus Avenue, in the context of other taller
rooftop structures and buildings beyond; that the penthouse relates to the differing roof heights, materials and
fenestration of the existing and previously approved rooftop structures, and therefore maintains the disparate
scale and massing of what is seen above the roofline; and that the presence of this small penthouse addition will
not diminish the special architectural or historic character of the building or the streetscape. Based on these
findings, the Commission determined the proposed work to be appropriate to the building and the historic district,
and voted to approve this application.

However, in voting to grant this approval, the Commission stipulated that two final signed and sealed copies of
the Department of Buildings filing drawings for the approved work be submitted to the staff of the Commission
for review and approval.

Subsequently, on June 10, 2008, the Landmarks Preservation Commission received drawings T-001, DB-001,
A-001, A-101, A-301, A-401, A-402, A-501, A-502, A-601, A-602, A-603, A-701, Z-001, S-1, issued 6/6/08,
prepared by Arpad Baksa Architect PC; and drawings H-01, H-02, H-03, H-05, P-01, P-02, P-03, E-01 through
E-05, dated 6/12/08, and revised drawing H-04, dated 6/12/08, prepared by DNV Associates. Staff reviewed the
drawings and found that the work approved by the Commission has been maintained. The work also includes, at
the rooftop of the main building, installing a new condensing unit and relocating two existing exhaust fans to the
south of the new penthouse addition.

With regard to this additional work, staff finds, in accordance with the provisions set forth in Title 63 of the Rules
of the City of New York, Section 2-19, that the rooftop addition will consist solely of mechanical equipment; that
its installation will not result in damage to or demolition of a significant architectural feature of the roof; that it
will not be visible from any public thoroughfare; and that it will not adversely affect significant architectural
features of adjacent improvements. Based on these findings, the work is approved. Based on this and the above
findings, the drawings are marked approved with a perforated seal, and Certificate of Appropriateness 09-1164
(LPC 09-0913) 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 Cory Scott Herrala.




Robert B. Tierney
Chair

PLEASE NOTE: PERFORATED DRAWINGS AND A COPY OF THIS PERMIT HAVE BEEN SENT TO:
Arpad Baksa, RA, Arpad Baksa Architect, PC




PAGE 2
Issued: 6/27/08
DOCKET: 09-0913

Added to EveryBlock on July 29, 2008.

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