<< Back
Landmarks
21 West 17th Street and 16 West 18th Street - Ladies' Mile Historic District, Application is to demolish the existing buildings and to construct a new building
WHEREAS, 21 West 17th Street is a Mid 20th century Commercial three-story building, built in 1850, altered in 1949 and in 1999; and
WHEREAS, The building is faced in red-orange brick, with a parapet, and four horizontal bands of raised bricks above the second story; and
WHEREAS, The second story has a band of wood-framed windows in the configuration of two single-pane stationary windows set between three single-pane casements with metal mullions; and
WHEREAS, A third story was added in 1999, after the building was designated a landmark, with LPC's review and approval; and
WHEREAS, Although the building has known a number of alterations in the course of its 166 years of existence, it is an example of the streetscape of the Ladies Mile Historic District that comprises low as well as taller buildings; and
WHEREAS, It is unrealistic to expect that any building of that age would not have undergone any alteration; and
WHEREAS, All the alterations done since 1989 have been performed with the approval of LPC, thus ensuring that they are preserving the historic qualities of the building; and
WHEREAS, A large number of residents of the community expressed opposition to the demolition on the grounds that the building is an integral part of the historic fabric of the district; and
WHEREAS, The demolition of a 166 year old building in the Ladies Mile Historic District on the grounds that it has been altered too many times would set a disastrous precedent as many buildings in the district fall into this category; and
WHEREAS, 16 West 18th Street is a two-story converted stable located in Ladies Mile Historic District, built in 1867 for David Hoadley, an American businessman, best known for taking over the Panama Railway in November 1851 as the company faced bankruptcy while attempting to build a railroad across the Isthmus of Panama; and
WHEREAS, The first story has two aluminum and glass shopfronts and, according to the designation report, the building has retained its nineteenth century facade above the first story; and
WHEREAS, The four windows of the second story are identical one-over-one early metal-clad sash with stone lintels and sills and below the simple parapet is a narrow stone bandcourse under which is evidence of a sign or cornice which has been removed; and
WHEREAS, The building is one of the last examples of stables, characteristic of the early phase of development of the district; and
WHEREAS, Although the building has known a number of alterations in the course of its 149 years of existence, it is an example of the streetscape of the Ladies Mile Historic District that comprises low as well as taller buildings; and
WHEREAS, Although the building has been repaired, and restored over time, it has retained its bulk, height, articulation, fenestration, materiality, as well as color scheme; and
WHEREAS, it is unrealistic to expect that any building of that age would not have undergone any alteration; and
WHEREAS, All the alterations done since 1989, including the re-introduction of a wood cornice above the 1st story, have been performed with the approval of LPC, thus ensuring that they are preserving the historic qualities of the building, and
WHEREAS, In 2005 the applicant appeared in front of CB5 and LPC (LPC: Item No. 14, Case No. 06-1229, 16 West 18th Street (November 1, 2005) (Morris Adjmi Architects; Greenberg Traurig, for Schaeffer) to propose demolition of the building to make way for a taller tower, and both CB5 and LPC are on record rejecting the application for demolition at 16 W 18th Street; and
WHEREAS, Since 2005, parts of the façade have been repointed with in kind material (brick), under the auspice of LPC (Certificate of No Effect), thus preserving the integrity of the historic fabric of the building; and
WHEREAS, A large number of residents of the community expressed opposition to the demolition on the grounds that the building is an integral part of the historic fabric of the district; and
WHEREAS, Original historic fabric still exists, and
WHEREAS, The demolition of a 149 year old building in the Ladies Mile Historic District on the grounds that it has been altered too many times would set a disastrous precedent as many buildings in the district fall into this category; therefore be it,
RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends denial of the application to demolish the building at 21 W 17th Street, and the building at 16 W 18th Street.