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Landmarks
1155 Broadway, The Broadway Plaza Hotel, application for legalization of installation of new canopy and signage
At the regularly scheduled monthly meeting of Community Board Five on Thursday, June 12, 2014, the following resolution passed with a vote of: 30 in favor, 1 opposed, 2 abstained.
WHEREAS, 1155 Broadway (SW corner West 27th Street) is located in the Madison Square North Historic District; and
WHEREAS, This property is a non-contributing 13 story steel building with brick and granite facing having been constructed in 1991 and converted to a transient hotel in 2000; and
WHEREAS, This property is described in the Designation Report as follows:
Broadway: Six-story, three bay brick- and granite-faced base; non-historic street-level storefronts, box awnings, signs, security gates, and entryway to the upper floors; non-historic window awnings at the second story; seven-story tower, four bays; sliding casements; projecting sills; brick panels; through-the-wall air-conditioning units; non-historic lighting.
West 27 Street: Six-story, three bay brick- and granite-faced base; non-historic street-level storefronts, box awnings, signs, and security gates; non-historic window awnings at the second story; Seven story, seven bays tower; similar to the Broadway facade; non-historic canvas sign applied to the facade. South elevation: Brick; elevator bulkhead on roof. Roof: Brick penthouse and terrace enclosed with iron railing; and
WHEREAS, Historically it had been a three story building to which 10 stories were added with new facades during a drastic alteration in 1991 designed by the architectural firm Elfenbein/Cox, Inc. for owner Peter Lo Duca; and
WHEREAS, The building had a maroon canopy installed in 2000, prior to the Designation of the Historic District June 26, 2001, for signage purposes; and
WHEREAS, This canopy was damaged by Hurricane Sandy and subsequently removed leaving non-original granite facade elements exposed to view; and
WHEREAS, The building owner is requesting LPC legalization of a new black canopy with a blue horizontal stripe and white lettering wrapping around the entire building, above the first floor, identifying the hotel; this design includes a 12" X 6" marquee-like awning projection on the Broadway facade of the building at the main hotel entrance, all elements installed without prior LPC permit; and
WHEREAS, According to the Applicant, the canopy and signage are intended as an interim measure for the next two years when a more historically harmonious design for building signage for the Historic District might be developed; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends denial of the request by the Broadway Plaza Hotel at 1155 Broadway for legalization of canopy and signage and requests that LPC deny the application since there is no historical basis or justification for its approval and CB5 requests that the Applicant be asked by LPC to prepare a Master Plan for storefront design and signage in conformity to the character of the Historic District.