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Landmarks
240 West 44th Street, Helen Hayes Theatre (the Little Theatre), application for replacement of the existing, non-contributing annex to the west of the theater with a new structure
WHEREAS, 240 West 44th Street, originally known as the Little Theatre and, since 1983 known as the Helen Hayes Theatre, was built in 1912 by the architects Ingalls & Hoffman; and
WHEREAS, The Helen Hayes Theatre is an interior and exterior landmark, designated by LPC in 1987; and
WHEREAS, The theatre represented a new direction in Broadway theaters towards a more intimate, Neo-Georgian design created for appropriate new plays; and
WHEREAS, The theatre has the smallest capacity on Broadway, originally 299 seats and now 499 seats; and
WHEREAS, The applicant is proposing to demolish the annex, a non-contributing four-story building that was added to the theater, to rebuild it with a straight front wall four-story building topped with a slightly visible bulkhead; and
WHEREAS, The applicant is proposing to rebuild the western-most staircase, currently located between the annex and the main building of the theater, to provide better accessibility to the upper floor of the theater; and
WHEREAS, The applicant is proposing to enlarge the doors leading to the auditorium of the theater; and
WHEREAS, The applicant is proposing to rebuild the marquee flanking the annex to the same footprint but using LED lighting; and
WHEREAS, The applicant is proposing to paint the lobby white; and
WHEREAS, The applicant is proposing to paint the interior of the theater auditorium with an immersive conceptual blue pixelated image from a Corot painting, in a modern homage to an existing tapestry; and
WHEREAS, The proposed façade changes will upgrade the signage elements and marquee, maintaining the same location and general size; and
WHEREAS, The building of a new annex to the west of the theatre will replace a non-contributing building that was not part of the original structure; and
WHEREAS, The new annex closely reflects the simple annex it will replace with changes required for the theatrical needs of the St. James Theatre immediately to its west; and
WHEREAS, The applicant has agreed to consider a lobby color closer to the original pale gray; and
WHEREAS, This modern look will not affect any historic materials but better reflect the brand and tone of the new owner, the non-profit Second Stage Theater; therefore be it,
RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends approval of the proposed application for 240 West 44th Street (the Helen Hayes Theatre) to demolish the annex and rebuild it with a straight front wall four-story building topped with a slightly visible bulkhead, to replace the marquee and alter the lobby, stairs and paint color.