<< Back
Landmarks
160 Lexington Avenue, application to install louvers at the 2nd floor and 7th floor, a louvered door at cellar areaway, new lighting fixtures on the 1st floor and cellar levels, and an ADA intercom at the 1st floor.
WHEREAS 160 Lexington Avenue is a five-story brick and stone neo-classical institutional building designed by Harvey Wiley Corbett of the firm Bell & Corbett, which was constructed in 1908-1909 as the Pratt-New York Phoenix School of Design and designated as an individual landmark in 1977; and
WHEREAS, The applicant has applied to LPC to perform the following work:
- Remove existing skylight and protruding exhaust duct and install new louvers to match the adjacent roof in the existing skylight frame at the 7th floor (roof) on the north side of the building;
- Remove existing large louvers on the upper portion of the northern 2nd floor window facing Lexington Avenue and replace with glass within existing mullions to restore, and install smaller louvers within two bottom sections of both 2nd floor windows facing Lexington Avenue;
- Install a new black metal louvered door to conceal compressors in a below grade areaway at the cellar level below the Lexington Avenue sidewalk at the eastern side of the building;
- Install a new small surface mounted black lighting fixture above an existing black metal door at an ADA-accessible side entrance along 30th Street;
- Install a new lighting fixture below grade to replace a temporary flood light at the cellar entrance below the Lexington Avenue sidewalk at the western side of the building; and
- Install an ADA intercom on a railing near the ADA-accessible door along 30th Street; and
WHEREAS, During the LPC review process, the owner proceeded with the work that is the subject of the application prior to presenting such work to Community Board Five and prior to receiving LPC approval; therefore, the present application is to legalize such work; and
WHEREAS, Having reviewed the changes as made to the building, Community Board Five finds the work to have minimal visual impact on the building and to be an overall improvement of its prior condition; and
WHEREAS, Community Board Five has expressed a desire for more historic lighting fixtures and for the 7th floor (roof) louvers to better match the existing roof; and
WHEREAS, The applicant has agreed consider different lighting fixtures and ways reduce the visual impact of the 7th floor (roof) louvers in consultation with LPC staff; and
WHEREAS, Although Community Board Five would have preferred to have had input prior to such work being performed, Community Board Five appreciates the applicant’s willingness to consider changes in response to Community Board Five’s concerns; and
WHERAS, Community Board Five finds the overall work to be appropriate to the landmark; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends approval of the application to install louvers at the 2nd floor and 7th floor (roof), a louvered door at cellar areaway, new lighting fixtures on the 1st floor and cellar levels, and an ADA intercom at the 1st floor of 160 Lexington Avenue, provided the 7th floor louvers color match existing roof and lighting fixtures are more respectful of historic nature of building.