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Consents & Variances
1 Bryant Park aka 1111 Avenue of the Americas, application for the installation of bollards.
WHEREAS, The applicant, a joint venture between the Durst Organization and Bank of America, is applying for a revocable consent to install security bollards across the perimeter of the building located at 1 Bryant Park, on the west side of 42nd St & 6th Avenue to protect the building against high risk attacks, and
WHEREAS, The building, which will is known as the Bank of America building, is the 2nd highest building in New York City, has a unique and distinctive design, all these features making it an iconic building, and
WHEREAS, The building will be host to 10,000 employees, and
WHEREAS, The type of attack that the security bollards are meant to prevent would result in loss of lives and the building itself, and
WHEREAS, The bollards would be located 18 inches from the curb, around the perimeter of the building, and
WHEREAS, The bollards would be installed as per New York City mandate: 36 inches high, 10 inches steel tubes, spaced 4 feet apart, (size and spacing to follow the US Department of State Standards), and
WHEREAS, Contrary to our current guidelines, the applicant did not provide CB5 with a threat report by NYPD Counter Terrorism Unit, but provided a full presentation by their security consultant on the risks incurred by the building and answered any security questions to a satisfactory level, and
WHEREAS, In publicly available reports, Defense Department, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the American Institute of Architects advise that attention-getting architectural symbols are prime targets, and should be protected, and
WHEREAS, The seriousness of the threat to the building outweighs the negative pedestrian traffic impact, therefore be it,
RESOLVED, That Community Board 5 recommends approval of the revocable consent for the installation of the security bollards at 1 Bryant Park, as proposed by applicant.
The above resolution passed by a vote of 15 in favor; 13 opposed; 2 abstaining; 1 present not entitled to vote.