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Landmarks
New York Public Library, Fifth Avenue and West 42nd Street, Application to redesign exterior lighting
WHEREAS, In celebration of the 100th Anniversary of The New York Public Library's iconic Landmark Carrere and Hastings building at Fifth Avenue and West 42nd Street, the applicant has applied for a C of A to redesign the lighting of the building in honor of this institutional milestone in order to achieve the following:
- Increase the efficiency and aesthetic quality of the lighting design by using the most energy efficient materials they could find to meet their aesthetic sensibility.
- Create a lighting design that enhances the character of each of the building's distinctive facades, while achieving a balance between the "exterior lighting and the glow emanating from within" from interior lit rooms seen through windows, and does not require the mounting of any lights directly on the landmark building itself
WHEREAS, The plan was carefully designed and developed in consultation with the Landmarks Preservation Commission staff using methods and materials designed to diminish the visual impact of the of the supporting hardware required to properly locate the lights and maintain aesthetic harmony with the existing contextual elements; and
WHEREAS, The applicant provided extensive graphic representations of all of the elements of the lighting design that were visually compelling and very attractive and the digital renderings of the proposed lighting scheme appeared to achieve the outcomes stated above; and
WHEREAS, The proposed lighting design adds fourteen new light fixtures; eight flush-mounted in ground uplights, two minimum profile washlights, and four 22' ft. minimum profile high tapered poles with double washlights, in addition lighting will also be added unobtrusively two the handrails and fountains; and
WHEREAS, The applicant gave assurance that the iconic stone lions at the front will have special illumination; and
WHEREAS, The building's new name carved in stone is an addition to the building placed after designation and is not historical in nature nor deemed an important architectural element, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That Community Board Five recommends denial of one component of the application, namely the spot lighting of the carved stone bearing the building's new name, and be it further
RESOLVED, That Community Board Five recommends approval of the other aspects of the New York Public Library's lighting plan in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the Landmark Carrere a Hastings building at 42nd Street.
The above resolution passed by a vote of 27 in favor; 4 opposed; 1 abstaining.