Unveiled> 300 Lafayette
New York City Landmarks Commission applauds COOKFOX's mixed-use project on the site of a Soho gas station.
by Vincenza DiMaggio
Courtesy COOKFOX / DBOX
The Soho Cast Iron Historic District is about to get a little bit trendier. Last night the Landmark Preservation Commission held a hearing on COOKFOX Architect’s design of a new retail and office development that will transform the corner of Houston and Lafayette streets. The verdict: unanimous approval by the commissioners. “It was amazing and so encouraging to hear the commissioners comments,” said architect Rick Cook.
The architects were drawn specifically to this intersection because, explained Cook, “We love to look at these empty landmark districts, the missing teeth, missing corners of Manhattan.” Since the 1930s, the site has remained home to giant billboards and a gas station. The sidewalk surrounding the lot also houses two of Manhattan’s busiest subway stations—Bleecker Street and Broadway-Lafayette—making it one of the most frequented spots in the city. When designing the building, the architects made sure to consider the historic character of the neighborhood as well as the bustling nature of the intersection.
In creating the design for 300 Lafayette, the architects were primarily focused on connecting the building’s users with nature. “The practice is called biophilic design,” said Cook, “people feel good when they feel connected to nature.” The firm worked with landscape ecologist Dr. Eric Sanderson to develop a list of plants and trees indigenous to Manhattan. “What it feels like to watch the seasons change, watch the birds come, it’s beyond description,” commented Cook. The architects included 11,000 square feet of natural indigenous green space into the building design, mostly in the form of balconies and window box planters.
In addition to nature, the design responds to two prominent 19th century buildings located nearby: The Little Singer Building (1902) by Ernest Flagg, whose large windows and balconies are delicately laced with wrought-iron railings, and the Bayard-Condict Building (1897) by Louis Sullivan, whose ornamental terracotta facade was radical in its day.
Current site view shows the existing gas station. Courtesy Bing Maps
Ernest Flagg’s use of large windows is echoed in the new building by deep-set glass walls that give the illusion that one floor floats above the next. The floor-to-ceiling expanses of glass allow ample natural light to flood the interior while providing clear views of the Puck Building across the street (the two-story high retail base was specifically designed to line up with the Puck Building’s massing). The facade recalls Louis Sullivan’s design by featuring a limestone base that transitions into a cream-colored terracotta cladding system.
As is typical of COOKFOX Architect’s designs, 300 Lafayette will be built using sustainable technology, most notably a post-tensioned, voided-slab, flat-plate concrete construction technique.
The process leaves spherical voids in the slabs that not only reduce the weight of the floors but also reduce the amount of concrete, steel, and carbon in the structure.
The project is awaiting approval from The New York Department of City Planning before construction can begin.
http://www.archpaper.com/news/articles.asp?id=6594
That lot with the MTA trucks has been on the prime corner space for at least 10 years now: it has always been an odd and unsightly visual blight in the middle of that 'showcase' location. Why does that place, of all places, have to be the location for parking MTA tractor trucks: WTF. LOL
I suspect that's part of the subway ROW. I mean, that's the reason for all the blank walls and this and that on Houston. When the IND was built under it, they widened the street to accommodate and then tore down many of the Houston St facing buildings. I'm not positive, but I think a few of these lots won't ever be built on because of it. I guess maybe the MTA could get better at working with developers to build subway entrances into new buildings, but until that happens, we're left with this.
That sounds about right: I now recall hearing something to that affect regarding "subway row". I think with the new building placed in the image that lot looks all the more unsightly: with the current gas station accross the street I guess it is 'less unsightly' by contrast.
With that lovely new building going up, and the general improvements in the area in general; it is time to do some 'artful' temporary partition.....
The MTA (or maybe another public agency) owns that land, but I don't think it's strictly a ROW issue. The original property extended out into the widened Houston St, so all of it had to be appropriated by the MTA. The subway entrance is on the narrow sliver close to Broadway, so I don't think any MTA infrastructure is under the Lafayette St side of the lot.
It may be that these triangular pieces of land don't attract developers. That's what happened when 6th Ave was cut through below Carmine St to merge with Church St, and when Varick St was widened. Sometimes, you do get development
Maybe with 300 Lafayette going up, they'll be pressure to turn the lot into a plaza. Good spot for it.
I had read within the last year that whatever public entity owns that lot intends to market it.
It's an eyesore that must go.
That triangular lot at 1-17 East Houston at the SE corner of Broadway (Block 511, Lot 19) is controlled by the EDC and leased to the MTA for vehicle & equipment storage. The entire plot is now in the RFP process for sale & development. A number of proposals are under consideration (the submission period is closed, as of March 29, 2013).
From MTA / EDC (posted a year ago):
MTA and NYCEDC Seek Reactivation of Seven Properties
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) today issued Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for the disposition and reactivation of seven properties throughout New York City that the MTA no longer requires for the transit network. The move is part of an ongoing collaboration by the City and MTA to reduce overhead, maximize revenue, and foster the re-use of properties without cost to the MTA or NYC ...
Manhattan
- A triangular lot at 19 East Houston Street, on the south side of the street between Broadway and Crosby Street. This is a highly visible parcel at the gateway to SoHo, with 215 feet of frontage on Houston Street. With American Eagle Outfitters, Crate and Barrel, and Adidas on the other corners, and Hollister on the adjacent lot, the site remains the only undeveloped corner at this otherwise bustling intersection, and is prime for transformation.
It's a problematic site, as there are huge MTA vents at the center, where an existing easement for access must be maintained. The actual feasible building area is at the east side of the lot, at the corner of Houston & Crosby. The entire site measures 6,174 square feet, and FAR = 5.0. Subterranean space is available on the site. Zoning is M1-5B so residential use would only be allowed if a Special Permit were to be obtained from City Planning. Hotel uses are allowed. Given the zoning, the result could be a large block of a building, rising about 10 stories. Landmarks undoubtedly wouldn't like something like that.
LargaVista is one of the teams vying for the site, and has enlisted CookFox for the plan there as well (the LV homepage shows a big aerial image of the site, but has no info on the development proposal). The LV plan as submitted to MTA / EDC includes subterranean retail with a small glass & steel gallery-like structure at the SE corner of the triangular lot (entry on Crosby), with a large green wall above the vents and rising along the building to the south (for mitigation of air conditions from the subway venting), open space near the existing subway entry and a new art installation. The LV plan, called Open SoHo, has the support of many in the local area.
The site, and the maximum (rough drawing) showing what could rise there under the allowable zoning:
It bears a striking resemblance to the Design Research building in Cambridge, MA
Thanks, Lofter. I knew that I read something about this.
That connection was mentioned by one of the commissioners during the LPC hearing; when he said it the entire design team started nodding & smiling towards each other.Originally Posted by vanshnookenraggen
It bears a striking resemblance to the Design Research building in Cambridge, MA
Land Use Committee Approved Commercial Development to replace SoHo BP Gas Station
02/04/2014
Rendering of 300 Lafayette Street Development. Image Credit: COOKFOX Architects.
New Land Use Committee unanimously approved a pre-considered application in its first meeting of the year. On January 30, 2014, the City Council Land Use Committee swiftly voted 20-0 to approve the development of a new seven-story commercial building in a lot currently occupied by a BP gas station in SoHo, Manhattan. The applicants, Paco Lafayette LLC, applied for a zoning text amendment and special permits to construct a new seven-story commercial building at 300 Lafayette Street, located at the southwest corner of Lafayette Street and East Houston Street. The proposed building would have approximately 60,000 sq. ft. of floor area. The ground floor, the second floor, and the cellar would contain Use Group 6 and/or Use Group 10A retail space. A portion of the second floor along with the third through seventh floors would be developed into commercial office space. Should the full Council approve the plan, the new development will not include any residential, Joint Living Work Quarters for Artist units or community facility space.
On January 28, 2014, the Land Use Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises voted 7-0 to approve the application. Marcello Porcelli, President of LargaVista Companies, the developer of 300 Lafayette, testified that his family has owned the gas station on the proposed site since 1976. Porcelli stated that the proposal is “an absolutely beautiful building” that will “stand the test of time in this historic district.” He also expressed his pride in receiving “unanimous approval from the Landmarks Preservation commission in April of last year.” The Landmarks Preservation Commission enthusiastically approved the application on April 9, 2013. (Read past CityLand coverage here). During the Landmarks meeting, Commissioner Fred Bland stated that the presentation of proposed building’s “biophilic design” was “the most erudite and captivating” presentation he witnessed in his four years on the Commission.
Peter Davis of the Broadway Resident’s Coalition, a group of longtime owners and occupants of SoHo, spoke in support of the project. He commended the design from COOKFOX Architects, as “sensibly respond[ing] to the existing buildings in the immediate area.” He also expressed support for “the way this project deals with the chaos that’s at the intersection now.” Davis highlighted that “the overall design is sensitive to the surrounding buildings, the addition of greenery, both at street level and on the building terraces will be welcome and beneficial, the mega signage and billboards now on the site will be eliminated, the development will detain the current chaos at the street level.”
The vote on January 30th represented a new era for how Land Use Committee matters would be handled. The new Land Use Chair Council Member David G. Greenfield stated that all committee meetings would start on time “out of respect for all your schedules” and that the committee “will not be scheduling other meetings in order to conduct the Committee’s business.”
Council Member Greenfield introduced a schedule of meetings through August 2014, which he hoped will allow the Committee members “to plan more effectively since the Land Use meetings are frequent.” Council Member Greenfield stated that the “constant addition of meetings led to delays in the Stated Meetings, confusion to the public, and quite frankly scheduling nightmares for the members.” He continued, “by sticking to the schedule, we will ensure that this committee will no longer cause stated meetings to start late, … the public and press will be fully aware of what we’re doing and when we are doing it…[a]nd finally, it will prevent the challenges of last minute meetings that throw member’s schedules out of whack.”
It is likely that the full City Council will vote on the 300 Lafayette application at the next Stated meeting on February 4, 2014.
City Council: 300 Lafayette Street (C 140093 ZSM – Special Permit) (C140095 ZSM – Special Permit); (C 140096 ZSM – Special Permit)(January 30, 2014).
By: Jennifer Baek (Jennifer is a City Law Fellow and a New York Law School Graduate, Class of 2013).
© 1997-2010 New York Law School
Great news!
Zip: Where did you find that article?
Cityland. They've become a pretty good source.
Thanks. Always good to find new input.
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