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Landmarks
Request for Evaluation by LPC for the Kaskel & Kaskel building at 316 Fifth Avenue
WHEREAS, 316 Fifth Avenue, commonly known as the Kaskel & Kaskel building, was built in 1902 by Charles L. Berg, a partner of Berg & Clark; and
WHEREAS, Charles Berg was trained at l'École de Beaux Arts in Paris in from 1877-1879 before establishing a renowned architecture firm on Broadway the next year, making 316 Fifth his first Manhattan design; and
WHEREAS, The Kaskel & Kaskel building is a marble and limestone Beaux-Arts building, located on the southwest corner of 32nd and 5th Avenue; and
WHEREAS, 316 Fifth Ave housed the famous haberdashers, Kaskel & Kaskel, at a time when the area was first transforming into a mixed-use and commercial district at the turn of the century and one of the last of its kind on the block; and
WHEREAS, The building's original material and stunning features are largely intact; and
WHEREAS, The original copper-clad mansard roof and the original limestone cartouches over the arched windows emblazoned with the letter "K" are highlights of the building's grandeur; and
WHEREAS, As it was noted in 1902 Electrical World and Engineering Magazine, this building was one of the first to innovate using electricity and lighted store windows; and
WHEREAS, 316 Fifth was included in the proposed Madison Square North Historic District expansion, but is also individually architecturally and historically meritorious; and
WHEREAS, Community Board Five supported the expansion of the Madison Square North Historic District in March 2015; and
WHEREAS, Community Board Five strongly believes that 316 Fifth Avenue is a rare architectural gem that contributes greatly to the grandeur of the Fifth Avenue corridor and is in need of LPC's urgent attention; therefore be it
RESOLVED, Community Board Five requests that LPC calendar the Kaskel & Kaskel building at 316 Fifth Avenue for review immediately.