50 East 57th Street @ 432 Park Avenue (former Drake Hotel site)

**kliq6** · May 4th, 2007, 04:21 PM

sorry to be the party pooper, im just trying to be a straight shooter with everyone and share any inside info I can

**londonlawyer** · May 4th, 2007, 04:26 PM

Macklowe really is worse than Chang.

**Ed007Toronto** · May 4th, 2007, 04:27 PM

Yeah... kliq6 is probably right. Any efforts I could make won't amount to a hill of beans in the face of all that influence.

I wonder if Jane Jacobs had the same attititude when she went up against Moses?

**MidtownGuy** · May 4th, 2007, 04:56 PM

I appreciate it kliq6.

**NYCDOC** · May 4th, 2007, 05:47 PM

Midtown, I would be willing to help with your effort . . . .

I think all of us should stop throwing our hands up in the air on all these issues that we keep bringing up on this site and DO SOMETHING!!! I'm not saying that I have all answers or time to go 100% on this, but if all of us who are concerned with these type of issues do something I'm sure we'd get somewhere or at least know that we tried.

**RandySavage** · May 5th, 2007, 01:04 PM

^ I agree. Better to go down fighting than just be fatalistic.

As far as the leaflet goes:

"SAVE THE DRAKE

[Insert Before/After Photo]

PARK AVE. JEWEL TO BE RAZED AND REPLACED BY CHEAP BOX

In a lose-lose deal for New Yorkers, developer harry Macklowe will soon raze the irreplaceable Drake Hotel and build in its place a mid-size glass tower unworthy of our City, much less this esteemed address. As the Drake, a historic and architectural treasure, is reduced to rubble, the only true beneficiary will be Macklowe, who stands to make millions at the expense of Manhattan’s heritage.

If you care about New York City's legacy, contact _______ to oppose the 510 Madison Ave. project and demand landmark protection for the Drake.

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD"

**BPC** · May 5th, 2007, 03:29 PM

Sign me up. Just tell me what to do.

**macreator** · May 5th, 2007, 06:48 PM

Madison Avenue Jewel? I thought we were talking about the Drake on Park Avenue, and the townhouses on 57th street.

**antinimby** · May 5th, 2007, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by RandySavage

^ I agree. Better to go down fighting than just be fatalistic.

As far as the leaflet goes:

"SAVE THE DRAKE

[Insert Before/After Photo]

MADISON AVE. JEWEL TO BE RAZED AND REPLACED BY CHEAP BOX

In a lose-lose deal for New Yorkers, developer William Macklowe will soon raze the irreplaceable Drake Hotel and build in its place a mid-size glass tower unworthy of our City, much less this esteemed address. As the Drake, a historic and architectural treasure, is reduced to rubble, the only true beneficiary will be Macklowe, who stands to make millions at the expense of Manhattan’s heritage.

If you care about New York City's legacy, contact _______ to oppose the 510 Madison Ave. project and demand landmark protection for the Drake.

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD"

I was hoping we could include the shops on 57 St. as well. Surely there's a way to preserve the façades of those shops ala the Henry Miller theatre in the Bank of America tower or One York, for example.

**londonlawyer** · May 5th, 2007, 11:58 PM

Originally Posted by antinimby

I was hoping we could include the shops on 57 St. as well. Surely there's a way to preserve the façades of those shops ala the Henry Miller theatre in the Bank of America tower or One York, for example.

The difference is that Durst and some other developers want to build great new buildings that enhance the city. Schmucklowe is interested only in profits and will not spend the money to preserve the facades of the nice buildings. I am really sick and disheartened about this.

**Alonzo-ny** · May 6th, 2007, 11:30 AM

they have been preserving facades like this on buildings throughout my whole life in glasgow i dont see why they cant do it in NY.

**Harvick2933** · May 6th, 2007, 11:52 AM

Preserving the old facades of existing buildings are certainly doable under practically all circumstances. Unfortunately, most of the current developers in NYC are too pig-headed to spend some extra bucks to do so. Heck, the mentality of most of the current NYC developers and LPC officials are little better than their predecessors (well, no predecessors for the latter I guess) in the 50's and 60's. It's a disturbing trend, and I just can't see how we can get back to the preservationist eras of the 80's and 90's any time soon unless heads start rolling in the LPC.

**infoshare** · May 7th, 2007, 09:39 AM

The Architecture geeks are pissed!

**RandySavage** · May 7th, 2007, 10:05 AM

Good for Curbed for bringing more attention to this. Regarding my earlier post, it's probably better to use the correct address and name of developer... that's what you get when you rush.