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Land Use, Housing & Zoning
N 050297 ZRM, application by RCPI landmark Properties, LLC (Owner) pursuant to ZR Section 81-14 for a Zoning Text Amendment to permit construction of lighted kiosks in the plaza areas of Rockefeller Center.
WHEREAS, The Owner of the landmarked portion of Rockefeller Center desires to renovate and reopen the observation deck on top of 30 Rockefeller Plaza with a new entrance on 50th Street and, to that end, wishes to install illuminated informational kiosks directing people to the new entrance; and
WHEREAS, The Landmarks Preservation Commission issued a Certificate of Appropriateness on April 13, 2004 for the interior and exterior changes, including the installation of eight lighted information kiosks to be placed in front of the Channel Gardens, the International Building, the new entrance to the observation deck and on the Plaza; and
WHEREAS, ZR Section 32-60 does not currently permit the installation of illuminated signs in the zoning districts in which Rockefeller Center is located; and
WHEREAS, The proposed text amendment would allow, by certification of the Chairman of the City Planning Commission, the installation of illuminated signs on open space located within the Fifth Avenue Subdistrict, provided that (a) the zoning lot be occupied by a landmark building, (b) the Landmarks Preservation Commission shall have issued a Certificate of Appropriateness for the signs, (c) each sign does not exceed twelve square feet, and (d) the signs not project across a street line; and
WHEREAS, The Owner has determined that the only other places that might qualify to apply to install illuminated signs under the new language are Saint Patrick's Cathedral, Saint Thomas' Church and the New York Public Library; and
WHEREAS, Because of the limited number of locations potentially impacted by the text amendment and the high quality of the design and materials of the proposed illuminated kiosks; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That Community Board Five recommends approval of the text amendment to the ZR Section 81-14.
The above resolution passed with a vote of 22 in favor, 0 opposed, 2 abstentions.