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Landmarks
Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street (Library), proposal for a donor recognition program consisting of carved lettering in stone at five locations on or near the façade of the New York Public Library
WHEREAS, New York Public Library, Main Branch, 476 Fifth Avenue, between West 40th and West 42nd Streets, is a celebrated individual New York City Landmark famous throughout the world, designed in 1897 in a competition won by the architectural firm Carrere & Hastings and completed in 1911; and
WHEREAS, In recognition of a $100 million donation from Stephen A. Schwarzman, Chairman and CEO of the Blackstone Group, the Library has decided to name its main Fifth Avenue Landmark building the "Stephen A. Schwarzman Building" when its renovation is completed in 2014; and
WHEREAS, The Library has applied for approval to carve lettering with this name in five locations, as follows:
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Two carvings on the Fifth Avenue facade, one on either side of the main entrance stone support pedestals, in letters 1 1/2" by 2", in a 26" by 65" stone area;
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Two carvings on the 42nd Street facade, one on either side of the 42nd Street entrance at the two flanking curved stone pedestals, in letters 1" by 1 1/2";
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One carved medallion, with a diameter of 35" in the center circle of the floor rosette at the Fifth Avenue main entrance; and
WHEREAS, Although the style of lettering is consonant with other historic lettering and the attribution to the donor is deemed important by the Library, Community Board Five considers the number of carvings excessive and
unnecessarily intrusive to this iconic facade; therefore be it
RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends denial of the Application from the New York Public Library for the five carved letterings in stone for its Donor Recognition Program, with the following exceptions:
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Approval of that portion of the Application that will permit carving in the stone floor rosette at the Fifth Avenue entrance to the Library.
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Approval of that portion of the Application that will permit carving in the two stone flanking pedestals at either side of the 42nd Street entrance to the Library.