<< Back

Landmarks

October 2017, Landmarks Committee

768 5th Avenue, Plaza Hotel, application to review the proposed 59th Street loading dock door, exterior heaters at the hotel's access points, exterior display and window display cases, etc.

WHEREAS, The Plaza Hotel, located at 768 Fifth Avenue, is a French Renaissance château-style building designed by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh and opened to the public on October 1, 1907; and

WHEREAS, The applicant seeks approval of seven items pursuant to the LPC Compliance Initiative; and

WHEREAS, The Plaza Compliance Initiative began with a survey of all items specified by an initial walk-through with LPC staff, Ms. Artus and Ms. Hurlbut; and

WHEREAS, Certain items require a public hearing including exterior heaters, exterior HVAC, exterior signage, loading dock doors, exterior wall grazer covers, NW turret and ballroom lighting; and

WHEREAS, The exterior heaters on the 58th Street side were deemed unsightly by LPC and efforts are being explored to better camouflage existing lighting or install new lighting; and

WHEREAS, The applicant provided revised plans to reduce the number and visibility of heaters at the behest of the committee; and

WHEREAS, The exterior HVAC was deemed unsightly by the LPC staff because of the size and its visibility when foliage in Central Park is barren allowing a view to the roof HVAC equipment; and

WHEREAS, The "exterior signage" is a package of items which includes wall mounted signs, a wall mounted display case and display windows; there was some debate over the date of origin of the display case but documentation could not be identified; and

WHEREAS, The loading dock doors on the 58th Street façade were not built in compliance with the filed drawings of the previous owners of the Plaza Hotel, Elad. LPC wants to re-construct the loading dock door to match previously filed drawings provided by Elad but that is not possible due to existing infrastructure that exists above the door jamb; the eastern jamb being deeper in size; and

WHEREAS, The applicant proposes installing a new jamb extension to cover the exposed CMU and new doors to be installed and painted to match the façade; and

WHEREAS, The exterior wall grazer covers are considered unsightly from the street view and it has been proposed that new accessories to the grazer covers be installed and painted to match the façade; and

WHEREAS, The applicant plans to make the north west turret, only partially visible from the 58th and 6th Avenue side, appear more symmetrical by installing a panel to match the copper panel to the right of the window; and

WHEREAS, The applicant concurred with CB5's strong preference for copper to be used instead of painted composite materials; and

WHEREAS, As the existing ballroom lighting does not penetrate the landmarked surfaces and is considered temporary and removable, the applicant wishes to leave it as is; therefore be it

RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends approval of the application by the Plaza Hotel at 768 Fifth Avenue.

WHEREAS, The Plaza Hotel, located at 768 Fifth Avenue, is a French Renaissance château-style building designed by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh and opened to the public on October 1, 1907; and

WHEREAS, The applicant seeks approval of seven items pursuant to the LPC Compliance Initiative; and

WHEREAS, The Plaza Compliance Initiative began with a survey of all items specified by an initial walk-through with LPC staff, Ms. Artus and Ms. Hurlbut; and

WHEREAS, Certain items require a public hearing including exterior heaters, exterior HVAC, exterior signage, loading dock doors, exterior wall grazer covers, NW turret and ballroom lighting; and

WHEREAS, The exterior heaters on the 58th Street side were deemed unsightly by LPC and efforts are being explored to better camouflage existing lighting or install new lighting; and

WHEREAS, The applicant provided revised plans to reduce the number and visibility of heaters at the behest of the committee; and

WHEREAS, The exterior HVAC was deemed unsightly by the LPC staff because of the size and its visibility when foliage in Central Park is barren allowing a view to the roof HVAC equipment; and

WHEREAS, The "exterior signage" is a package of items which includes wall mounted signs, a wall mounted display case and display windows; there was some debate over the date of origin of the display case but documentation could not be identified; and

WHEREAS, The loading dock doors on the 58th Street façade were not built in compliance with the filed drawings of the previous owners of the Plaza Hotel, Elad. LPC wants to re-construct the loading dock door to match previously filed drawings provided by Elad but that is not possible due to existing infrastructure that exists above the door jamb; the eastern jamb being deeper in size; and

WHEREAS, The applicant proposes installing a new jamb extension to cover the exposed CMU and new doors to be installed and painted to match the façade; and

WHEREAS, The exterior wall grazer covers are considered unsightly from the street view and it has been proposed that new accessories to the grazer covers be installed and painted to match the façade; and

WHEREAS, The applicant plans to make the north west turret, only partially visible from the 58th and 6th Avenue side, appear more symmetrical by installing a panel to match the copper panel to the right of the window; and

WHEREAS, The applicant concurred with CB5's strong preference for copper to be used instead of painted composite materials; and

WHEREAS, As the existing ballroom lighting does not penetrate the landmarked surfaces and is considered temporary and removable, the applicant wishes to leave it as is; therefore be it

RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends approval of the application by the Plaza Hotel at 768 Fifth Avenue.

©2018 COMMUNITY BOARD FIVE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED