The Landmarks Preservation Commission held a hearing today on plans to convert the 29-story office tower at 401 Broadway on the northwest corner at Walker Street to 90 condominium apartments.
The landmarks committee of Community Board 1 this month passed a resolution recommending approval of the proposed changes but also expressing hope that "every effort must be made" to reduce the visibility of two large, new ventilating tanks that are planned for the roof of the building's north-south "leg" at the western side of the building, which has a "L"-shape plan.
The building has a pitched copper roof atop its east-west wing that is very visible up and down Broadway. The ventilation tanks on the west wing would be very visible but lower than the attractive cooper roof, one of whose finials is missing but would be replaced in the restoration program, which would also remove the large painted sign with the building's address on the north facade, which is mostly windowless.
The proposed plan would add about 70 windows, most on the west facade where fire balconies would be converted to apartment terraces. Architect Shael Shapiro said that the proposal calls for a major restoration and maintenance program for the building and that the restoration would result in uniform fenestration.
Eight of the new windows would replace a large but simple address sign high up on the north facade. Commissioner Elizabeth Ryan asked whether the commission really wanted "to see the sign go?" and several other commissioners said they thought that was a good question.
Many of the commissioners also expressed concerns about the conversion of the fire balconies to terraces, noting that proposed windows on the terraces were perhaps too large.
The major concern, however, was about the large size and high visibility of the proposed ventilating tanks. The building now has protruding window air-conditioners.
Commissioner Richard Olcott declared that the large tanks had "a detrimental affect on the tower" and Chairman Robert Tierney told the applicants to "revisit" the commission with plans that would address the expressed concerns.
The beige-brick building has a two-story limestone base and the third floor is faced with terra-cotta.
Mr. Shapiro said that the building's entrance and entrance marquee would be on Walker Street where it has a frontage of 150 feet as compared to only 50 feet on Broadway.
The building is owned by Park Tower Management LTD of which Ray Tocci is a director.
Jardin Hill & Murdock was the original architectural firm for the 335-foot-high building which has buttress-like piers, ornamental spandrels and crenellated setbacks and protruding air-conditioners.
The building is currently about 70 percent occupied, but tenants are on short-term leases.
The building is convenient to public transportation and to the SoHo, TriBeCa, Little Italy and Chinatown districts.A
The building has many setbacks on its east facade.
The landmarks committee of Community Board 1 this month passed a resolution recommending approval of the proposed changes but also expressing hope that "every effort must be made" to reduce the visibility of two large, new ventilating tanks that are planned for the roof of the building's north-south "leg" at the western side of the building, which has a "L"-shape plan.
The building has a pitched copper roof atop its east-west wing that is very visible up and down Broadway. The ventilation tanks on the west wing would be very visible but lower than the attractive cooper roof, one of whose finials is missing but would be replaced in the restoration program, which would also remove the large painted sign with the building's address on the north facade, which is mostly windowless.
The proposed plan would add about 70 windows, most on the west facade where fire balconies would be converted to apartment terraces. Architect Shael Shapiro said that the proposal calls for a major restoration and maintenance program for the building and that the restoration would result in uniform fenestration.
Eight of the new windows would replace a large but simple address sign high up on the north facade. Commissioner Elizabeth Ryan asked whether the commission really wanted "to see the sign go?" and several other commissioners said they thought that was a good question.
Many of the commissioners also expressed concerns about the conversion of the fire balconies to terraces, noting that proposed windows on the terraces were perhaps too large.
The major concern, however, was about the large size and high visibility of the proposed ventilating tanks. The building now has protruding window air-conditioners.
Commissioner Richard Olcott declared that the large tanks had "a detrimental affect on the tower" and Chairman Robert Tierney told the applicants to "revisit" the commission with plans that would address the expressed concerns.
The beige-brick building has a two-story limestone base and the third floor is faced with terra-cotta.
Mr. Shapiro said that the building's entrance and entrance marquee would be on Walker Street where it has a frontage of 150 feet as compared to only 50 feet on Broadway.
The building is owned by Park Tower Management LTD of which Ray Tocci is a director.
Jardin Hill & Murdock was the original architectural firm for the 335-foot-high building which has buttress-like piers, ornamental spandrels and crenellated setbacks and protruding air-conditioners.
The building is currently about 70 percent occupied, but tenants are on short-term leases.
The building is convenient to public transportation and to the SoHo, TriBeCa, Little Italy and Chinatown districts.A
The building has many setbacks on its east facade.
Architecture Critic
Carter Horsley
Since 1997, Carter B. Horsley has been the editorial director of CityRealty. He began his journalistic career at The New York Times in 1961 where he spent 26 years as a reporter specializing in real estate & architectural news. In 1987, he became the architecture critic and real estate editor of The New York Post.
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