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Manhattan Community Board Five
768 Fifth Avenue (between 58th Street and Central Park South at Grand Army Plaza), the Plaza Hotel, an Individual Landmark
A request for a report for a special permit from City Planning Commission pursuant to Zoning Resolution 74-711 to permit additional retail space
WHEREAS, The applicant's property is the world-renowned Plaza Hotel, an Individual Landmark designated in 1969, designed by Henry J. Hardenbergh (architect of the Dakota Apartments) in the Beaux-Arts/French Renaissance/Edwardian style and built in 1905-07, with an addition along 58th Street, designed by Warren and Wetmore (architects of Grand Central Terminal) and built in 1921; and
WHEREAS, The applicant proposes a number of preservation plan items to be performed on the Plaza's exterior in exchange for a report for a special permit from City Planning Commission pursuant to Zoning Resolution 74-711 to permit additional retail space in an R10-H (Hotel) district; and
WHEREAS, The approval or denial of the proposed work has no bearing on the approval or denial for the 74-711 Land Use and Zoning portion of the application, which will be heard separately at a later date; and
WHEREAS, The proposed work of the preservation plan consists of the following:
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restore the copper and ceramic tile at the roof and roof dormers, etc.
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restore the terra cotta and brick at the shaft of the building above the base
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restore the marble at the base of the building
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restore the metal windows
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restore the metal and glass canopies (the Fifth Avenue canopy has already been restored); and
WHEREAS, The preservation plan items listed seem like they might be items performed under normal maintenance circumstances for a world class landmark hotel; and
WHEREAS, Allowing a change of use from hotel (R10-H) to retail (C5-2.5) would have a serious impact on the interior architecture and design of the historically significant spaces of this world renowned historic individual landmark; and
WHEREAS, The significant interior spaces include:
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The Palm Court
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The Terrace Room
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The Oak Room
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The Oak Bar
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The Edwardian Room
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The 59th Street Lobby
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The Fifth Avenue Lobby
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The Rose Room
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The Grand Ballroom
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The Baroque Room
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The Vanderbilt Suite
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The Cecil Beaton Suite
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The Frank Lloyd Wright Suite; and
WHEREAS, The present plan seems to seriously damage the interiors of the existing Terrace Room and possibly the Palm Court, with the introduction of escalators; and
WHEREAS, The introduction of retail uses into a much larger area of the landmarked and beloved Hotel creates a concern for the appropriateness of the historic architectural interior spaces; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That Community Board Five recommends denial of the application for a request for a report for a special permit from City Planning Commission pursuant to Zoning Resolution 74-711 to permit additional retail space, unless the significant interior spaces are landmarked and therefore protected; and be it further
RESOLVED, That Community Board Five urges the Landmarks Preservation Commission to consider Landmark designation to the above listed rooms as interior landmarks.
The above resolution as amended passed with a vote of 18 in favor, 5 opposed, 1 abstention, 1 present not entitled to vote.