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Landmarks

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:

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:

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.

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