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200 Fifth Avenue (Ladies' Mile Historic District) - Application For The Modification Of The Building Entrances On W. 23rd And W. 24th, and For The Use Of The W. 24th Street Vestibule Entrance As Cafe/Restaurant Space
WHEREAS, 200 Fifth Avenue is a 15-story retail and office building, completed in 1909, designed by the architects, Maynicke & Franke, in Neo-Renaissance style; and
WHEREAS, For many years the building was known as The International Toy Center and more recently it has become the home of "Eataly," a very popular purveyor of food and an eating establishment located in the ground floor of the building ; and
WHEREAS, There are two separate entrance doors on the side streets:
a) West 23rd Street has a modern sliding glass door
b) West 24th Street has a more historical revolving door; and
WHEREAS, The owner had previously agreed to preserve the ornamental metal gates and the vestibule spaces with their coffered, vaulted ceilings at both the West 23rd and West 24th Street entrances; and
WHEREAS, The Applicant is requesting LPC approval to exchange the two entrance doors on West 23rd and West 24th Streets for the following purposes:
a) Having the revolving door located at the West 23rd Street entrance would be more energy efficient from a heat loss standpoint;
b) Moving the sliding doors to West 24th Street would enable the vestibule area to be incorporated into Eataly as seasonal cafe/restaurant space , whereas currently it only functions as storage space; the ornamental gates would be kept in locked position so that this building entrance would be enclosed to contain the dining area; and
WHEREAS, CB5 considers the proposed changes both practical and in the public interest; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends approval of the application for 200 Fifth Avenue to exchange the two side street entrance doors on West 23rd and West 24th Streets and to permit the West 24th Street entrance vestibule area to be used for a seasonal cafe/restaurant dining area.
The above resolution passed by a vote of 32 in favor; 1 opposed; 1 abstaining.