<< Back
Landmarks
16 East 18th Street, (5th Ave and Broadway) Ladies' Mile Historic District, application is to construct a rooftop addition and raise the parapet
WHEREAS, 16 East 18th Street, (between Fifth Avenue and Broadway), located in Ladies' Mile Historic District, is a ten-story neo-Renaissance style store and loft building, constructed in 1902, designed by Buchman & Fox, architects; and
WHEREAS, The owner has applied to construct a rooftop addition and raise the parapet wall in a four part project as follows:
1. Remove an existing non-functioning water tank that is in disrepair, with rusting metal and discolored by mold
2. Construct a new stairway bulkhead on the roof to allow more direct access to a duplex apartment and a common area on the roof
3. Raise the brick parapet wall on the secondary facade to a height of 48" to conceal and support four air conditioning/condenser units, using matching bricks (Note: Another section of the parapet is 57" high, so that the increased height would be lower than an existing section of the parapet wall.)
4. Replace the metal railing along the east facade to conform with current building code standards; and
WHEREAS, Although we are concerned about the loss of water tanks, which have been a part of the NYC skyline for many decades, according to the applicant the costs of repair and maintenance of this water tank has become prohibitive and burdensome since it is non-functional and obsolete; and
WHEREAS, Mockups at the roof that are in place are minimally visible from the public way and the proposed changes would have little visual impact on the overall appearance of the building; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends approval of the application to construct a rooftop addition and raise the parapet wall at 16 East 18th Street in the Ladies Mile Historic District, as detailed in the designs, plans and renderings presented to CB 5.
The above resolution passed by a vote of 30 in favor; 3 opposed; 1 abstaining.