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19-25 West 20th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues, Ladies Mile Historic District, application for restoration work to existing public parking garage and a three (3) story rooftop residential addition along with a new 15 story residential building at ...
19-25 West 20th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues, Ladies Mile Historic District, application for restoration work to existing public parking garage and a three (3) story rooftop residential addition along with a new 15 story residential building at adjacent open surface parking lot.
WHEREAS, 19-25 West 20th Street, located in the Ladies Mile Historic District, is a parcel containing 21-25 West 20th Street, a seven story brick 75' wide public parking garage built in 1926-27 and 19 West 20th Street. a 25' wide parking lot, flanked by sidewalls of the adjacent buildings that reveal the silhouette of a rowhouse that once stood on the site; and
WHEREAS, The applicant is seeking to develop the 25' parking lot as a 15 story residential building which would not be permitted under Section 23-692 of the Zoning Resolution since it would be a prohibited "sliver" building in a C 6-4A Zoning District; and
WHEREAS, By requesting approval from the Landmarks Preservation Commission to cantilever a three story extension of new construction above the existing parking garage, the applicant is making the argument that the building lot is really a 100' wide property, not 25' wide, and that Section 23-692 does not apply; and
WHEREAS, By using lightweight steel and glass construction materials the applicant intends to minimize the load on the existing garage structure for the new three story addition; and
WHEREAS, Since this steel and glass design dictates that the new 15 story building use similar materials for its design; and
WHEREAS, Residents and organizations in the Ladies Mile Historic District have strongly objected to this development based on:
- The circumvention of the sliver law by the developer by asking the Buildings Department to consider this as one building lot when historically there had been two separate parcels and, in so doing, getting an economic advantage over the 60' height if it were only the 25' lot under consideration
- The excessive height of the 15 story new building which is out of proportion to the adjacent buildings and the rest of the area
- The visibility of the rooftop addition to the existing parking garage from the street, especially with the use of disharmonious building materials
- The visibility of the recessed portion of the 15 story proposed building
- The use of a contemporary modern steel and glass design with no relationship to the existing historic architectural fabric of the area
- The close proximity of residential units to the parking garage where the residential occupants will be confronted with noxious gasoline and exhaust fumes since the garage operation will continue for another 30 years according to the developer; and
WHEREAS, Although the applicant is proposing to repair and restore some elements of the existing parking garage, including a neon sign which had been removed, this is deemed to be insufficient justification to approve the application; therefore be it
RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends denial of the application for restoration work to an existing public parking garage and a three story rooftop residential addition along with a new 15 story residential building at an adjacent open surface parking lot at 19-25 West 20 Street in the Ladies Mile Historic District.
The above resolution passed by a vote of 26 in favor; 1 opposed; 1 abstaining.