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Landmarks
The Sire Building, 211 West 58th Street, between 7th Ave and Broadway
WHEREAS, The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission ("LPC") advised Community Board Five on May 22, 2009 that there will be a public hearing on June 23, 2009 regarding the proposed designation of the Sire Building, 211 West 58 Street, as an individual Landmark; and
WHEREAS, This property has been selected for consideration by LPC as a result of a survey of properties under consideration for possible designation and happens to be immediately next to two other properties already designated as Landmarks; and
WHEREAS, This is a five-story "flats" building, constructed in 1884-1885, containing 10 apartment units and a retail store at ground level, designed by William Graul for the owner, Benjamin Sire; and
WHEREAS, William Graul maintained an architectural practice in New York City from 1868 to 1903 and designed many apartment buildings, row houses and store and loft buildings in the City; and
WHEREAS, Benjamin Sire was a wealthy real estate dealer and the owner of several theaters; and
WHEREAS, The building was designed in the high Victorian style with neo-Grec details, constructed of red brick with stone trim and details and has the original owner's name "SIRE" in the stone beneath the Gothic arch-headed stone lintel at the parapet wall, above the center bay of paired windows; and
WHEREAS, The retail store infill at the ground floor has been replaced with granite veneer, but the entrance to the apartments in the western bay still has its historic ornately carved wood and glass double doors with lion heads and beveled glass; and
WHEREAS, The store has had a variety of tenants including a Studebaker car dealer in the 1910's, a pet shop in the 1930's, the Museum of the American Piano in the 1980's and 1990's, and is now occupied by Klavierhaus, a retailer of custom pianos and is situated on a block that has other retail piano stores; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, Community Board 5 recommends approval of the designation as an individual landmark of The Sire Building, 211 West 58 Street, between 7th Avenue and Broadway.
The above resolution passed by a vote of 31 in favor; 3 opposed; 1 abstaining.