The Extell Development Company is campaigning against the designation of two of its properties in West Midtown as landmarks that were calendared in July for hearings by the Landmarks Preservation Commission, according to an article by Eliot Brown in this week's edition of The New York Oberver.

"Both of the Howard Van Doren Shaw-designed buildings, 225 West 57th Street and 1780 Broadway, were built by the B. F. Goodrich Company in 1909 and were part of 'Automobile Row,' a concentration of car dealerships, many of which are already landmarked. Extell's argument is that it was blindsided by the designation effort, and landmarking both properties would ruin its prime development site, precluding the company from building a $1 billion-plus commercial tower," the article stated, adding that "according to property records, it already has a $256 million mortgage out on the site."

Extell, the article continued, has been "successfully urging unions, trade groups and, most notably, key members of the City Council to demonstrate push-back against the commission," adding that an expected vote this week at the commission had been delayed "with no new vote yet scheduled."

The article indicated that Extel has suggested that the commission only landmark 1780 Broadway, the former 12-story B. F. Goodrich headquarters but not the dark red-brick, 9-story building at 225 West 57th Street and it also indicated that this suggestion has been supported by the New York Hotel and Motel Trades Council and the Building and Construction Trades Council. The buildings have very similar facades. The former U. S. Rubber Building at 1790 Broadway on the southeast corner of 58th Street is a designated landmark.

Four members of the City Council, Dan Garodnick, the local representative, Jessica Lappin, the chair of the landmarks committee, Melinda Katz, the chair of the land-use committee, and Christine Quinn, the Council Speaker, submitted a letter August 28, 2009, to the commission that supported the Extel plan.

The article noted that some preservation groups have been "enraged" by the letter.

On August 11, 2009, Melissa Baldock of the Municipal Art Society testified before the commission that "despite their different heights, the two buildings make use of idential materials and are both designed in a style that can be best described as the Chicago-style influence on Vienese Secessionism (or vice versa), a combination not seen anywhere else in New York City." "Shaw's interpretation and adaptation of these blended architectural styles differs slightly on each building, making the pair all the more interesting architecturally," she said.

As part of its assemblage, the Extell Development Group acquired about 140,000-square feet of unused air rights from the Art Students League at 215 West 57th Street. Extell controls the former Hard Rock building just to the west of the League and property extending through the block to 58th Street. The Hard Rock Cafe was located in the base of the 12-story building at 223 West 57th Street where its entrance canopy was a late 1959 black Cadillac convertible with rotating wheels. Hard Rock subsequently relocated.