<< Back
Landmarks
125 Fifth Avenue in the Ladies’ Mile Historic District, Application to replace existing wood windows with aluminum windows similar to floors 2, 3, 4 and 5
WHEREAS, 125 5th Avenue consists of two converted dwellings, located in the middle of the block between 19th and 20th Streets, joined in 1921-23 to form the present 5-story, 45 feet wide store and office building; and
WHEREAS, The building has a brown terra-cotta Neo-Gothic façade; and
WHEREAS, Originally this façade had large single-pane, wood-framed fixed center windows; and
WHEREAS, While most of the center window panes survived, only the southern 4th story unit retains its original pivoting side windows; and
WHEREAS, In 2006 a fire badly destroyed the northern portion of 125 5th Avenue and its windows, however, the southern portion of the building and windows were not as severely impacted by the fire; and
WHEREAS, The applicant proposes to replace all the original large center single-pane wood-framed fixed windows with two aluminum-framed fixed panes equally divided by a vertical mullion as well as replace all the side wood-framed pivoting windows with aluminum tilt and turn windows; and
WHEREAS, Community Board Five believes it is possible for the applicant to replicate and/or repair the original wood-framed windows; and
WHEREAS, Community Board Five feels it is desirable to maintain original materials in historic buildings whenever possible, and particularly in windows below the 7th floor that are more visible; and
WHEREAS, Although the applicant is to be praised for replicating the burned terra cotta from the fire with new terra cotta, he was not able to show that it was unreasonable to restore the windows to their original state; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That Community Board Five recommending denial of the application for 125 Fifth Avenue to replace original wood framed windows with aluminum framed windows.
The above resolution passed with a vote of 34 in favor, 4 opposed, 1 abstention.