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Landmarks
50 West 23rd Street Application for Rooftop Addition & Rooftop HVAC
WHEREAS, 50 West 23 Street, aka 37-49 West 22nd Street is an Art Deco 13 story industrial building, located between 5th & 6th Avenues in the Ladies Mile Historic District; and
WHEREAS, The building designed by noted industrial architect Russell G. Cory (1881-1946), and faced in cast concrete and terra-cotta tiles, was built in 1925-26 and an 11 story addition was built in 1956 on 23rd street, and was initially used as a baking and candy factory for the Frank G. Shattuck Company; and
WHEREAS, The Designation Report underscores that Russell G. Cory, the building's architect, noted for his emphasis on vertical articulation highlighted by colorful tiles, is credited (as senior partner in the firm of Cory & Cory) with developing the "vertical street" type industrial structure; and
WHEREAS, The applicant is seeking to install a new cooling tower and mechanical penthouse on the 15th floor (highest) roof (setback approximately 50 feet from the 22nd street façade); and
WHEREAS, The applicant completed a mockup of the proposed additions and walked around the neighborhood with staffers at LPC to ascertain the visual impact of said additions, which the applicant has included photo documentation of as part of the application and presentation to CB5; and
WHEREAS, The HVAC addition is very visible from a number of viewpoints along 6th Avenue; and
WHEREAS, The conclusion of the aforementioned mockup study is that the several incidental and high visibility views of the mockup from the streets and thoroughfares may be mitigated; therefore be it
RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends denial of the application for a rooftop addition and HVAC at the 50 West 23 Street.