Nearly a year ago (April 2009), the community turned out in tremendous force to testify before the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) at Public Hearing. The matter: a rooftop addition constructed illegally at 12-14 West 68th Street, whose owners sought a permit to legalize the entire structure after-the-fact with a legalization permit from the LPC.
Together--advocacy groups, private citizens, expert consultants, and others!--we urged the LPC to deny the application to legalize. And success was ours!
Now, in 2010, the property has a new owner with a new architect who seek to legalize the rooftop addition, this time with minor modifications. What's changed? The new design proposes to change up the fenestration on the illegal fifth floor to mimic that of the floors below, and to remove the cupola-type feature.
Cosmetic alterations, but the fundamental issue remains: this full floor addition was constructed illegally and should be fully removed, not tweaked. The integrity of the Landmarks Law and the public’s faith in the process remain at stake.
JOIN US at Public Hearing of the LPC TOMORROW, March 16, 2010. The item is slated for review at approximately 12:45PM and will be heard at the offices of the Landmarks Preservation Commission, 1 Centre Street, 9th Floor.
PHOTO: 12-14 West 68th Street, a Queen Anne-style house designed by Louis Thouvard and built in 1895, with an attached studio building designed by Edwin C. Georgi and built in 1925. In blue overlay, the illegally constructed rooftop addition.
Together--advocacy groups, private citizens, expert consultants, and others!--we urged the LPC to deny the application to legalize. And success was ours!
Now, in 2010, the property has a new owner with a new architect who seek to legalize the rooftop addition, this time with minor modifications. What's changed? The new design proposes to change up the fenestration on the illegal fifth floor to mimic that of the floors below, and to remove the cupola-type feature.
Cosmetic alterations, but the fundamental issue remains: this full floor addition was constructed illegally and should be fully removed, not tweaked. The integrity of the Landmarks Law and the public’s faith in the process remain at stake.
JOIN US at Public Hearing of the LPC TOMORROW, March 16, 2010. The item is slated for review at approximately 12:45PM and will be heard at the offices of the Landmarks Preservation Commission, 1 Centre Street, 9th Floor.
PHOTO: 12-14 West 68th Street, a Queen Anne-style house designed by Louis Thouvard and built in 1895, with an attached studio building designed by Edwin C. Georgi and built in 1925. In blue overlay, the illegally constructed rooftop addition.
No comments:
Post a Comment