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200 Fifth Avenue, Ladies’ Mile Historic District, on the West side of Fifth Avenue, between 23rd and 24th Streets, application is for a Certificate of Appropriateness for the enlargement of existing rooftop structures for residential use and ...
200 Fifth Avenue, Ladies' Mile Historic District, on the West side of Fifth Avenue, between 23rd and 24th Streets, application is for a Certificate of Appropriateness for the enlargement of existing rooftop structures for residential use and installation of mechanical equipment at the roof
WHEREAS, The application is for a Certificate of Appropriateness for the enlargement of existing rooftop structures for residential use and installation of mechanical equipment on the roof; and
WHEREAS, The 15-story retail and office building was completed in 1909, by architects Maynicke & Franke, in Neo-Renaissance style, originally known as the Fifth Avenue Hotel and currently as The International Toy Center; and
WHEREAS, The building was recently bought by a new owner, 200 Fifth Avenue LLC, represented by David Levine, and will soon be converted to condominiums; and
WHEREAS, The applicant appeared before the Community Board Five Landmarks Committee in November 2005, but after the committee voted to deny his application because the proposed construction was highly visible from the main thoroughfares, the applicant withdrew the application before it was reviewed by the full Board; and
WHEREAS, The applicant appeared for the second time in front of the Community Board Five Landmarks Committeewith a revised application, including the relocation of a cooling tower from the north-east side to the north-west side; and
WHEREAS, There are three existing, partially-visible, copper-clad structures on the roof, and the stone parapet is 17 feet high; and
WHEREAS, The applicant wants to build a new mechanical unit and penthouse addition setback from the parapet 35 feet on the north side and 32 feet on the south side, for a total surface of 24,000 square feet; and
WHEREAS, This addition will be clad with off-white flushed aluminum panels, the color of which will match the terracotta tiles cladding the courtyard walls of the building; and
WHEREAS, One of the copper facades of the existing penthouse additions will be changed to off-white flushed aluminum panels; and
WHEREAS, The building bares a special significance to the Ladies' Mile Historic District, because it is the historic district's point of entry on the north east; and
WHEREAS, A mock-up of the building shows that the new addition, despite the effort to reduce its visibility, remains highly visible; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That Community Board Five recommends denial for this application is for a Certificate of Appropriateness for the enlargement of existing rooftop structures for residential use and installation of mechanical equipment at the roof.
The resolution passed with a vote of 35 in favor, 2 opposed, 2 abstentions.