Landmarks Tells BKSK Architects to Cut Height of Proposed Eight-Story UWS Resi Building
It’s back to the drawing board for BKSK Architects, reports CityRealty.com. At yesterday’s LPC meeting, architects Harry Kendall and Todd Poisson presented BKSK’s proposal for a new seven-unit residential building at 466-468 Columbus in the Central Park West Historic District being developed by the Roe Corporation. The project would require the demo of an innocuous three-story brick building dating back to 1894 (the existing building facade was updated in 2006), replacing it with an even taller masonry building with a facade punctuated by terra cotta louvers and topped with a modern cornice. The building would also host two retail units on its ground floor and an eighth-floor setback that would give the penthouse a private terrace. While the LPC had no issue with knocking down the existing building, they were less keen on some of the other items.
The main point of contention appeared to be the height of the development, which would stretch to eight stories (or 96 feet) in a characteristically low-slung, five-story neighborhood. The LPC also shot down the setback and canopy, suggesting that the building instead be cut down to better conform to the neighborhood architecture. “The commissioners felt a reduction of height would result in a better building,” writes CityRealty.com.
The LPC also found the proposed storefronts to be “generic and suburban,” unsuited for the block which sits just a block north of the American Museum of Natural History and in the midst of numerous decorative apartment hotels. The LPC suggested incorporating the same brick and terra cotta combo, which they did find attractive and even praised, in place of the glass and metal blend proposed.
[Via CityRealty.com]
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