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Landmarks
22 West 24th Street - Application for a new 8-story building in the Ladies Mile Historic District
At the scheduled monthly meeting of Community Board Five on Thursday, September13, 2012, the Board passed the following resolution by a vote of 35 in favor; 1 opposed; 1 abstaining:
WHEREAS, 22-24 West 24th Street are two vacant adjoining lots, 19 feet in width each, located in the Ladies Mile Historic District; and
WHEREAS, The Applicant wishes to construct a new 8- story building, 38 feet wide, with partial ground floor retail use and residential uses on the upper floor; and
WHEREAS, The proposed facade as presented to Community Board Five in renderings and elevations is not deemed harmonious with the Ladies Mile' Historic District architectural vocabulary, symmetry and proportions as follows:
· It is a flat, asymmetrical curtain wall construction composed glass and irregular bands of limestone
· The storefront and vertical elements at each party wall are clad in a reflective metal
· The triple height storefront entrance is articulated by a sharp diagonal recess, giving the building a severe, jarring impact on the mercantile historic character of the District
· The building is capped with a tall screen of limestone panels (presumably to conceal rooftop mechanical equipment) in sharp contrast to the adjacent buildings' cornices and moldings, much greater in height than either of the two adjoining buildings
· The light stone color appears to be in excessive contrast to the adjacent buildings
· The amount of glass to be used (estimated at 55% by the architect) appears to be much greater than other buildings in the area
· A single balcony projecting out from the 7th floor at the easterly side of the building provides a distracting, unnecessary building element; and
WHEREAS, The residential entry and commercial storefront lack the level of detail necessary for a thorough assessment; and
WHEREAS, A representative of the block association appeared before CB5 to speak in favor of constructing a residential building on this site, but was critical of this proposed design; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends denial of this application for a new building at 22-24 West 24th Street in the Ladies' Mile Historic District.