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Landmarks
3 West 54th Street, (N/W Corner Fifth Avenue), The University Club, application to install bird netting.
WHEREAS, University Club, 3 West 54th Street, is an individual landmarked building, designed by the eminent architectural firm, McKim, Mead and White, in the style of a grand Italian palazzo and was built in 1899; and
WHEREAS, The building has had a persistent problem with pigeons nesting in the open shaft between the main building and the annex on West 54th Street, resulting in damage from pigeon droppings to the exterior of the building; and
WHEREAS, Previous attempts to resolve this problem have been unsuccessful; and
WHEREAS, The University Club has applied to LPC to install a bird netting system on East 54th Street in the open shaft to prevent further damage to the buildings from pigeons; and
WHEREAS, The netting material will be anchored by small stainless steel fixtures into the mortar, not into the limestone; and
WHEREAS, The netting is not on the main facade on Fifth Avenue; and
WHEREAS, The webbing material is thin and black, almost invisible to the naked eye, and will be recessed at the corner returns; and
WHEREAS, The netting begins at the second floor level making it even less visible from the public way; and
WHEREAS, It is expected that the netting will prevent further damage to the landmarked building; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That Community Board Five Landmarks Committee recommends approval of the application by the University Club to install a netting system in the open shaft between the main building and the annex at 3 West 54th Street .
The above resolution passed by a vote of 34 in favor; 0 opposed; 1 abstaining, 1 present but not entitled to vote.