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Resolution as passed is at end. Full Board Meeting Business Session Parks & Preservation Committee, Lenore Norman, Chairperson Joint with Land Use Committee, Richard Asche, Chairperson 1. 8 West 70th Street, Congregation Shearith Israel (Central Park West-Columbus Avenue.) The amended resolution to disapprove the application to the Landmarks Preservation Commission for a Certificate of Appropriateness for construction of an 8-story building with 2 additional penthouse floors, with 4 floors above grade for school/community house purposes and four full floors plus two penthouses for residential uses, was adopted: 27-3-4-0. Sam White, architect, gave a PowerPoint presentation on the project. He and Shelly Friedman, attorney, responded to questions. The two changes in the design are: terra cotta on the West 70th Street facade have been replaced with a buff-colored bricks (resolution changed to reflect this) and the rooftop pergola has been eliminated. The committee co-chairs did not feel these changes substantially affected the application and the Committees’ resolution could go forward. They explained the reasons for the Committees’ disapproval and referred people to the extensive minutes of the September 21 meeting. Ann Farley, of 101 Central Park West, argued that the proposed building design does not meet standards of beauty appropriate to Central Park West. She urged the Board to not accept the height of the building. Ron Prince, of 18 West 70th Street, pointed out that the proposed building height (124 ft.) is 25% higher than the building adjacent to the site. Mr. White did not have the exact height of the adjacent building since he has not been able to access the roof, but explained that Mr. Prince was comparing the total height of 8 West to the cornice-line height of 18 West; 18 West also has a penthouse and mechanical equipment. Ben Goodman, on behalf of State Senator Richard Gottfried, urged the Board to reject the building on the grounds that the proposed building does not meet contextual requirements and that the applicant did not work with neighbors to achieve an acceptable design. There was a lengthy discussion of the references to height and bulk in the resolution and the effects these could have on the Board’s future decisions on the applicant’s land use applications to the Board of Standards & Appeals. Lenore Norman argued that appropriateness must address the height and bulk of the building as part of the design. Klari Neuwelt offered an amendment to eliminate all mention of height. Chaumtoli Huq seconded. The amendment failed: 2-24-1. Ms. Neuwelt also objected to the reference to the symmetry of the building, citing the lack of symmetry on the north and south facades. The resolution was amended, as follows: Reference to bulk deleted. Change references to height and symmetry to “height is acceptable from an esthetic point of view and the symmetry of the eastern façade is pleasing.”
*** Members Present: Hope Cohen, Andrew Albert, Richard Asche, Page Cowley, Alberto Cruz, Lance Dashefsky, Sheldon Fine, Georgette Gittens, Victor Gonzalez, Phyllis Gunther, Marlene Guy, David Harris, Chaumtoli Huq, Joyce Johnson, Ulma Jones, Barbara Katzander, Barbara Keleman, Eric Nelson, Klari Neuwelt, Lenore Norman, Gabrielle Palitz, Sharon Parker-Frazier, Luis Reyes, Oscar Rios, Madge Rosenberg, Helen Rosenthal, Charles Simon, Sean Small, Patricia Stevens, Steve Strauss, Barbara Van Buren, Thomas Vitullo-Martin, D. Maria Watson, Melanie Wymore, George Zeppenfeldt-Cestero, Dan Zweig. Members Not Present: Barbara Adler, Linda Alexander, Annette Averette, Guillermo Gonzalez, Jean Green-Dorsey, Douglas Griebel, Robert Herrmann, Lawrence Horowitz, John Howell, Melanie Radley, Freddie Richardson, Ethel Sheffer, Elizabeth Starkey. Member on Leave: Betty Katz. Respectfully submitted by Melanie Wymore.
********************************************** Date: October 6, 2005 Full Board Vote: 27 In favor 3 Against 4 Abstentions 0 Present Committees of Origin: Parks & Preservation and Land Use 1. Re: 8 West 70th Street, Congregation Shearith Israel. Application to the Landmarks Preservation Commission for a Certificate of Appropriateness for construction of an 8-story building with 2 additional penthouse floors, with 4 floors above grade for school/community house purposes and four full floors plus two penthouses for residential uses.
WHEREAS, Community Board 7 / Manhattan (MCB7) is required to review landmark and land use applications serially/separately for a mixed-used building (community facility and residential) being proposed by Congregation Shearith Israel, adjacent to its landmark Spanish & Portuguese Synagogue structure and within the Central Park West Historic District – and therefore must review the application to the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) for a Certificate of Appropriateness for building design/appearance before reviewing the applications to the NYC Board of Standards & Appeals (BSA) for variances that would make the proposed building’s size and shape possible; and
WHEREAS, MCB7 recognizes the need of Congregation Shearith Israel for additional space for its educational and other programming and unique archives, and to provide ADA accessibility to its historic Spanish & Portuguese Synagogue structure; and
WHEREAS, the applicant’s architects have reduced the height and bulk of the building from the 15-story building with 3 setback penthouses previously proposed to an 8-story building with 2 additional floors of setback penthouses; and
WHEREAS, the West 70th Street (northern) façade of the proposed building does not relate either to the landmark Synagogue, 18 West 70th Street to the west, nor to any other building in the vicinity; and
WHEREAS, the use of materials is inappropriate (especially the buff-colored brick overlaid on the West 70th Street façade); and
WHEREAS, the recessed glass wall and strip windows on the West 70th Street façade do not relate to the adjacent buildings or anything on the block or within the Central Park West Historic District; and
WHEREAS, the entrances to both the congregational/community and residential portions of the proposed building appear insignificant on the façade in relation to their function; and
WHEREAS, the southern elevation has been designed as the building’s ‘backside’ with a brick façade, adding to the confusing and disjointed use of materials; and
BE IT RESOLVED THAT Community Board 7 / Manhattan disapproves the design presented for a Certificate of Appropriateness, principally based on the problems with the façade(s); and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT MCB7 applauds the applicant’s architects for their efforts to find a solution to a difficult architectural problem and finds the proposed building’s height is acceptable from an esthetic point of view and the symmetry of the eastern façade is pleasing; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT MCB7 urges the applicant’s architects to revisit the design of the north and south elevations, ideally producing a building of consequence visible from all directions and with a consistent and harmonious use of materials on all elevations; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT MCB7 urges the applicant’s architects to review the entrances (including the service entrance) for placement, treatment, appearance, and scale, with particular consideration of the building’s significance as a community structure; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT MCB7 once again objects to the bifurcated review process and urges all relevant City agencies to find a way to allow applicants to present a unified application for all land use, zoning, landmark, and other approvals required for a building, so that important issues of public policy, use, bulk, height, design, etc. can be considered in a coherent and holistic way.
Joint Parks & Preservation and Land Use Committees: 10-0-0-0. Board Members: 2-0-0-0
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