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Land Use, Housing & Zoning
Application by Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) for enclosure of the Pomerantz Center portico area at 27th Street and Seventh Avenue, directly abutting the Pomerantz lobby and within the existing footprint of the building
WHEREAS, The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) has submitted an application to the Public Design Commission for enclosure of the Pomerantz Center portico area at 27th Street and Seventh Avenue, directly abutting the Pomerantz lobby and within the existing footprint of the building; and
WHEREAS, The enclosure would triple the size of the Pomerantz Center lobby and provide much-needed gallery space; and
WHEREAS, The new gallery space would host more than six shows annually and would be open to the public daily from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM; and
WHEREAS, The enclosure would be glass with minimal hardware to create an open and transparent experience, with a glass canopy over the 7th Avenue Entrance to the space; and
WHEREAS, The interior lights would have dimming controls so that they can be adjusted during evening gallery use; and
WHEREAS, The sidewalk abutting the area of enclosure along 7th Avenue is wide and the building is setback from the property line, so the enclosure would not impede pedestrian flow along 7th Avenue; and
WHEREAS, Although the building is located on City-owned property, the area of the proposed enclosure is not "public" space, but is already part of the FIT campus and controlled by FIT; and
WHEREAS, The existing open space is primarily used by FIT students and houses only an FIT bicycle rack, which would be relocated elsewhere on campus; and
WHEREAS, FIT has contacted MTA with regard to the adjacent subway entrance, MTA has indicated that they do not object to the proposal, and FIT will maintain an ongoing dialogue with MTA as the project progresses; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends approval of FIT's application for enclosure of the Pomerantz Center portico area at 27th Street and Seventh Avenue, directly abutting the Pomerantz lobby and within the existing footprint of the building.