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Landmarks
370 Park Avenue, bet. 52nd and 53rd Sts., Racquet & Tennis Club, application for façade repair and restoration
WHEREAS, 370 Park Avenue, an individual landmark designed by McKim, Mead & White completed in 1918, is located on the West side of Park Avenue between 52nd and 53rd Streets and has applied to the Landmarks Preservation Commission ("LPC") for approval of façade repair and restoration; and
WHEREAS, the existing balustrade and cornice elements at the top of the building are made from terra cotta and in 1997 the staff of LPC permitted the applicant to replace several damaged cornice pieces with glass fiber reinforced concrete units ("GFRC"); and
WHEREAS, there is a poorly conceived roof drainage system incorporated into these elements that has continued to leak water over a period of years; and
WHEREAS, the existing balustrade and cornice elements are now beyond repair, in need of complete replacement, and pieces have been falling from the building; and
WHEREAS, the proposed scope of work is to remove the failed balustrade and cornice elements of the building and replace them with new units to be fabricated with molds from the original pieces using GFRC and repair the underlying steel cornice; and
WHEREAS, the choice of using GFRC fabricated with molds from the original pieces to replace the terra cotta is appropriate due to its ability to take on the same texture, color, profiles, and size of the original elements and, in addition, will withstand the test of time substantially better than the existing material; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends approval of the application for façade repair and restoration at 370 Park Avenue.
The above resolution passed by a vote of 25 in favor; 0 opposed; 1 abstaining.