More Needless Destruction: 224 5th Ave.

[londonlawyer]

From Cityrealty.com:

20-story residential tower planned at 224 Fifth Avenue 27-DEC-06

Beyer Blinder Belle has designed a 20-story apartment building with 20 units for a site at 224 Fifth Avenue now occupied by a mid-19th Century house that was altered for commercial use in 1893 by Berg & Clark and again in 1981-2.
A document on file with the Department of Buildings indicates that the building would be 275 feet high and 28 feet wide.

The mid-block site is between 26th and 27th Street and is across the avenue from the Grand Madison condominium conversion of the former New York Gift Building at the north end of Madison Square Park.

The document indicated that the developer is 224 Fifth Avenue L.P., of Berwyn, Pennsylvania, of which Rodger Bucchianeri is a principal. Mr. Bucchianeri is the development director of Brandolini Companies, which was founded in 1936 and is a diversified real estate development organization located on the Main Line of suburban Philadelphia.

The site lies within the Madison Square North Historic District and a hearing to on plans to demolish the existing building and construct a new 20-story building is scheduled for January 9, 2007 at the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Last June, 224 Fifth Avenue L.P. obtained a $14,150,000 mortgage from Petra Mortgage Capital Corporation LLC, according to city records.

[londonlawyer]

Does anyone know what this building looks like?

[sfenn1117]

The building in it's current form is nothing special, but it would be interesting to see what lies underneath the modern facade.

http://propertyshark.com/mason/nyc/Reports/showsection.html?propkey=12537

Plus the fact that it's in a historic district will prevent a monstrosity from being thrown up....at the same time, I wouldn't expect anything special either from that firm.

[londonlawyer]

You're right. I went by there after work and saw that this building has already been destroyed by a tacked-on, tacky facade. Since this building dates from the 1850's, it must have been beautiful. The other small ones near it are magnificent.

[NYCBanker]

The existing building with a dirty 80's facade looks like crap as does the backround and surrounding side of the 2 small buildings and the very tall buildings that wrap this site(rusted fireways, metal lot windows, dirty, etc.). From what I've heard the firm is very reputable and is proposing an elegant, classy building that will really impove this neighborhood and bring attention to it and the great Madison Park. Their building is lower than the surrounding buildings so there's no issue with sticking out...what they're proposing makes sense!!!

Would you rather have the crap building and backdrop that exist or something really interesting that will hopefully spawn future redevelopment and preservation of the other buildings in our area??????

[londonlawyer]

I am pleasantly surprised by this.

http://www.cityrealty.com/graphics/uploads/1173217111_fif224.jpg

Thin, mid-block, "book-ended" tower studied at 224 Fifth Avenue 06-MAR-07

The Landmarks Preservation Commission held a hearing this afternoon on plans by Lewis J. Brandolini III to erect a 20-story residential condominium building at 224 Fifth Avenue between 26th and 27th Streets.
The building would contain only 11 apartments and the proposal requires no special permits or zoning variances.

Mr. Brandolini is a principal of the Brandolini Companies, which was founded in 1936 and is a diversified real estate development organization located on the Main Line of suburban Philadelphia in Berwyn, Pennsylvania,

The mid-block site falls within the Madison Square North Historic District and is half a block north of Madison Square Park and directly across Fifth Avenue from the Grand Madison condominium project.

The rigorous and bold design by Fred Bland of the architectural firm of Beyer Blinder Belle would have full floor units on the second through the fifth floors of the building's base and duplex 7 duplex apartments in the tower above, which would be set back 10 feet.

The tower's design would be glass-clad with alternating, angled windows facing the avenue.

The building would replace a mid-19th Century townhouse that was altered for commercial use in 1893 by Berg & Clark and then altered again in 1981-3.

The proposal was described by most commissioners as "elegant," but no action was taken by the commission and the developer was asked to check if the facade of the existing building on the site hid any salvageable elements from the 19th Century structure. Chairman Robert Tierney indicated that is nothing remarkable was discovered, he was not opposed to demolition of the existing building, which the commission has already described as being a "non-contributing" building of "no style."

Mr. Tierney reported that Community Board 5 had voted against the design by a vote of 28 to 6 and he suggested that the developer work with the commission's staff on the design with attention to the design of the base and the top of the proposed tower.

Several commissioners praised the design of the middle section of the tower as well as indicating that they were not opposed to a tall, thin building on the site, which they described as "book-ended" by taller, masonry-clad buildings at either end of the block.

Rick Bell of the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects spoke in favor of the application, stating that it filled "a significant gap on the avenue.

Simeon Bankoff, executive director of the Historic Districts Council, however, told the commission that "this is a handsome, well-thought-out project, but one that we feel does not, in this incarnation, fit into" the historic district, adding that his organization "is extremely dubious in regards to a glassy sliver building in a historic district."

"While zoning allows sliver buildings in this area, will a tall, very narrow glass building be considered appropriate fill-in for historic districts?" Mr. Bankoff said the base needed more articulation, adding that "The alternating chamfered corners in the glassy tower give it a wobbly form."

Commissioner Stephen Byrns observed that the tower's setback makes for a more "recessive setting" that he liked, adding that its height was "acceptable" and that it would become "a crystalline center to the masonry perimeter." He described the mid-section of the tower as "wonderful and very interesting," but said he had "trouble with the top," which he described as "syncopated."

Commissioner Roberta Brandes Gratz declared that the building was "much more elegant" than many other recent proposals that she suggested could use "a good dose of slimming," adding that some recent projects like Sir Norman Foster's design of an addition to the Hearst Building on Eighth Avenue at 57th Street.

Commissioner Jan Hird Pokorny said that it was "a beautiful building but too nervous."

[Punzie]

it would become "a crystalline center to the masonry perimeter."

NOT!!

It's a cheesy insertion that mars the stately appearance of the "bookends."

[lofter1]

It appears that the "bookends" offer nothing but blank walls to the interior.

I like the interplay between the new and kinetic against the old and solid.

[jennicak]

looks like there are windows on the sides of the new building. i wonder if they are lot line, or the developer bought the airspace.

[sfenn1117]

Wow, refreshing. I thought that firm would design a brick box to fit in, but this looks great. I hope it's built as is and is not watered down.

[jennicak]

i think the building looks too modern for the area it is in. one of the reasons why i like the fifth and 20s is because it's feels like you're in old new york when walking through it. if you look at the pictures from the 1920s, not much has changed since then there...

obviously a building like this will have a love/hate reaction from people who see it. i think it looks like a cross between a house of mirrors and a space station. think about all the auto accidents it would cause from the reflection of the sun off the glass!

[ablarc]

Since this building dates from the 1850's, it must have been beautiful.
Hard to argue with this observation. Does it mean that certain eras produce only beautiful buildings? Will we ever again have such a golden age?

[krulltime]

It looks interesting. I think this one might look really nice. Reminds me (but not in a bad way) of that poor ugly duckling near by...


http://www.cityrealty.com/graphics/uploads/1169154693_mad127b.jpg

http://wirednewyork.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12374

[londonlawyer]

Hard to argue with this observation. Does it mean that certain eras produce only beautiful buildings? Will we ever again have such a golden age?

I doubt it. In the early 20th century and before then, it seems that ornate details were an integral part of a structure's design. Practically everything that was built was awesome. Sadly, that's no longer the case.

As it so happens, the prior owners stripped all of the details from this mid-19th century structure, so its demolition will be no loss given its current, mundane state.

[lofter1]

... i think it looks like a cross between a house of mirrors and a space station.

think about all the auto accidents it would cause from the reflection of the sun off the glass!

Not all that likely, really ...

Broadway runs one-way downtown here in front of this proposal.

Broadway also runs from North to South, so except for early morning hours the sun will hardly be bouncing off this building (which faces ESE) towards those oncoming cars.

Also, with the tall towers in the blocks just to the East (Sky House and the other newish one opposite it to the South) the early day sun will be blocked a good deal of the time.

I hope it gets approved and built.

I'm a big proponent of Historic Districts, but in some cases a big dose of reinterpretation (when well done) enlivens the existing buildings -- and is a better way to go rather than calcifying the Districts with too-faithful (but often less-than-artful) "historically accurate" new structures.

[pianoman11686]

Hard to argue with this observation. Does it mean that certain eras produce only beautiful buildings? Will we ever again have such a golden age?

Well, that's why they called it Beaux-Arts. ;)

As for bringing it back, maybe we should stage another Columbian exposition...

[NYCBanker]

This building is EXACTLY what we need for our Madison Square area. I am really excited that the firm is trying to build such a beautiful and dynamic project that will bring attention and revitialzation to this otherwise blighted area. We should all support such a project. As a life-long inhabitant of the area, I can't wait to see this go up!

I'm also happy that so many others and the Landmarks Comm. seem to agree that this is an "elegant" and appropriate building. For those who question it, with all due respect, you are living in the dark ages...this is innovation and progress and respecting the past at its best!!!!!

[antinimby]

I agree. It fills in the gap there very nicely and also enhances the older "bookend" buildings.

[pianoman11686]

From http://cityrealty.com/new_developments:

Landmarks commission approves plans for 224 Fifth Avenue 15-MAY-07

http://www.cityrealty.com/graphics/uploads/1179264329_fif224e.jpg

The Landmarks Preservation Commission unanimously approved plans today by Lewis J. Brandolini III to erect a 20-story residential condominium building at 224 Fifth Avenue between 26th and 27th Streets.

The building would contain only 11 apartments and the proposal requires no special permits or zoning variances.

Mr. Brandolini is a principal of the Brandolini Companies, which was founded in 1936 and is a diversified real estate development organization located on the Main Line of suburban Philadelphia in Berwyn, Pennsylvania.

The mid-block site falls within the Madison Square North Historic District and is half a block north of Madison Square Park and directly across Fifth Avenue from the Grand Madison condominium project.

The rigorous and bold design by Fred Bland of the architectural firm of Beyer Blinder Belle would have full floor units on the second through the fifth floors of the building's base and duplex 7 duplex apartments in the tower above, which would be set back 10 feet.

The tower's setback design would be glass-clad with alternating, angled windows facing the avenue.

The building would replace a mid-19th Century townhouse that was altered for commercial use in 1893 by Berg & Clark and then altered again in 1981-3.

The proposal was described at a recent hearing by most commissioners as "elegant," but the developer was asked to check if the facade of the existing building on the site hid any salvageable elements from the 19th Century structure. Chairman Robert Tierney indicated that is nothing remarkable was discovered, he was not opposed to demolition of the existing building, which the commission has already described as being a "non-contributing" building of "no style."

Mr. Tierney reported that Community Board 5 had voted against the design by a vote of 28 to 6 and he suggested that the developer work with the commission's staff on the design with attention to the design of the base and the top of the proposed tower.

Several commissioners previously praised the design of the middle section of the tower as well as indicating that they were not opposed to a tall, thin building on the site, which they described as "book-ended" by taller, masonry-clad buildings at either end of the block and Commissioner Jan Hird Pokorny said that it was "a beautiful building but too nervous."

At today's hearing, a revised plan was presented by Mr. Bland that had a lower, limestone base and an altered top.

The center of the tower is highlighted and bisected by a steel "fin" and the new plan for the top is asymmetrical and creates a terrace on the north side with a circular cut-out roof.

Commissioner Roberta Brandes Gratz termed the revised plan " a terrific solution" and "respective of its neighbors."