307-309 Sixth Avenue (Issac & Stern for Landmarks Preservation Commission)
On Tuesday, April 16, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (“Landmarks”) will review an application to construct a new building at 307-309 Sixth Avenue in the Greenwich Village Historic District Extension II. The stretch of the historic district extension along the west side of Sixth Avenue is largely commercial – the site is located between a Popeye’s restaurant and a piercing/tattoo parlor – but a seven-story residential building with base-level retail is being proposed.
Two buildings would have to come down to make way for this new project. One is a two-story mixed-use brick building dating back to 1832; the other is a neo-Tudor style commercial building dating back to 1828. The application notes that both buildings have undergone alterations since they were first erected, and pictures included in the presentation show that neither the buildings nor their rear yard are in the best of repairs.
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Current buildings on the site
Indeed, when Landmarks initially reviewed the proposal in January 2024, no one objected to the demolition of the existing buildings, with the Victorian Society noting that there was not enough of the original left to have any historic value. The new building was warmly received for the most part, but community members and commissioners alike expressed concern about the storefront, the cornice, and a glass-enclosed setback penthouse at the top. As such, no action was taken at that time.
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The building is being designed by the prolific firm of Issac & Stern, whose Village portfolio includes the Landmarks-approved renovation of the "Forbes townhouse" at 11 West 12th Street and the printing factory turned condominium at 90 Morton Street. For this project, their presentation depicts a seven-story building with a brick facade, oversized windows, and a clear demarcation between commercial and residential space. In response to feedback from the last Landmarks hearing, the elongated Roman brick facade has been switched to a warmer red brick; full-width limestone spandrels have been removed; a cornice at the top is heavier and more clearly defined; the penthouse is no longer glass-enclosed; and the retail signage is more prominent and nearly flush with that of its nearest neighbor.
This new project is unquestionably one of the taller buildings on its block, but only by a few stories. The design pays a modern tribute to prewar, tenement-style buildings found elsewhere in the Village, and the renderings look very similar to those included in a sales listing for the development site.
Floor plans included in the presentation depict large floor plates, kitchens with center islands, in-unit washer/dryers, and private balconies in select units. Condos would be the first guess, and yet high-end rentals would not be unthinkable. The presentation cites the Morris Adjmi-designed rental 111 Charles Street as an example of Landmarks-approved new buildings in the historic district; it is fully leased at an average price of $14,528/month with prices as high as $43,000/month for a penthouse.
Whether condos or rentals, the future residents would be living in an extremely high-traffic section of Greenwich Village. Nearby arts venues include IFC Center, Minetta Lane Theater, Village Underground, Blue Note, and Comedy Cellar. The site is around the corner from 23 Cornelia Street, which Taylor Swift famously immortalized in song and has become a destination for her fans. It is also less than a mile from the buildings used as settings on Friends and Sex and the City. Father Demo Square, Minetta Green, and the West 4th Street basketball courts are across the street, and Washington Square Park is three blocks away. An entrance to the West 4th Street transportation hub is a short distance away.
Update 4/19/2024: The building was approved with modifications. Landmarks asked that the designers push back the dormer to a specific point so it would have less of an impact on the cornice, and for better articulation of the base. However, Landmarks found that demolition of the existing buildings would not alter the character of the historic district extension, and that the proposed building was "more than acceptable."
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