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Landmarks
1140 Broadway, an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness for a new canopy and entrance on Broadway.
At the regularly scheduled monthly Community Board Five meeting on Thursday, November 10, 2022, the following resolution passed with a vote of 37 in favor; 0 opposed; 1 abstaining:
WHEREAS, 1140 Broadway is a sixteen-story, terracotta and masonry commercial building built in 1916 and located in the Madison Square North Historic District; and
WHEREAS, The building occupies a prominent location at the corner of Broadway and West 26th Street, on a street, now closed to vehicular traffic, that functions as a pedestrian plaza; and
WHEREAS, The building’s northern entrance currently is covered by metal cladding, installed in the 1970s, located above the doorway which forms a shallow canopy and covers mechanical air intake and exhaust for the lobby; and
WHEREAS, The existing 1970s metal cladding is obtrusive and not sensitive to the design of the historic building; and
WHEREAS, The applicant proposes to rebuild the northern entrance along Broadway with a new canopy, ADA accessible entrance door, and a revolving door to provide an airlock to the lobby, in order to improve the entrance, provide additional wayfinding, and provide additional natural light to the lobby beyond; and
WHEREAS, The applicant proposes to restore the existing window assembly currently hidden behind the 1970s metal cladding and provide a new decorative metal louver to cover the mechanical intake and exhaust above the entrance; and
WHEREAS, All new metal entry doors, door frames, louvers, and panels will be aluminum painted in a dark anodized bronze finish to match the adjacent storefronts; and
WHEREAS, The existing granite surrounds at the entrance, which are not original to the historic building, will be replaced with aluminum surrounds in a dark anodized bronze finish to match the new doors and frames; and
WHEREAS, All additional devices at the entrance, including security cameras and ADA accessible door push-buttons will be only installed in the new metal surrounds and non-historic building material and not into the existing historic masonry; and
WHEREAS, Any existing uncovered terracotta that shows signs of cracking or spalling will be repaired with an approved mortar; and
WHEREAS, Any existing terracotta currently hidden behind the existing 1970s metal cladding that cannot be repaired will be replaced with new units in either terracotta, cast stone, or GFRC to match the adjacent existing; and
WHEREAS, The Landmarks Committee of CB5 strongly recommended that any replacement for unsalvageable terracotta be with, preferably, terracotta or cast stone due to the issues of GFRC’s uneven weathering; and
WHEREAS, A new aluminum canopy in a dark anodized bronze finish is being proposed for the entrance to enhance wayfinding by displaying the building’s address and to make the entrance more prominent; and
WHEREAS, This new canopy would have downlights to illuminate the sidewalk at night and would otherwise not be illuminated; and
WHEREAS, The new canopy would not be attached to the existing masonry and only to non-historic material; and
WHEREAS, The replacement of the existing 1970s metal cladding with the new entrance doors, louvers, and windows will enhance the building as the design is harmonious with other historic elements within the facade; and
WHEREAS, The proposed design also would enhance the ADA accessibility for the building’s occupants and visitors; and
WHEREAS, The proposed design for the new canopy and entrance has been reviewed by the Landmarks Committee of CB5; and
WHEREAS, The proposed canopy was determined to not be harmonious with the historic district and building; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That Community Board Five recommends denial of the application for a Certificate of Appropriateness for the new canopy and entrance to 1140 Broadway, Borough of Manhattan, unless the applicant agrees to remove the proposed canopy from the design of the renovation and to only use terracotta or cast stone for any masonry replacement.