Resolutions: January 2005

WHEREAS, A request was made by Olympic Tower Condominium to install 8 planters at 641 Fifth Avenue, along East 51 Street, and

WHEREAS, The proposed concrete planters will be 35" in diameter; and

WHEREAS, Community Board Five has concerns regarding the impact the planters would have on pedestrian flow; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That Community Board Five recommends denial of the application by Olympic Tower Condominium to install 8 concrete planters at 641 5th Avenue, along East 51 Street.

The above resolution passed with a vote of 21 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 abstention.  

WHEREAS, La Boucherie Inc. d/b/a Les Halles has filed an application for modification of an unenclosed sidewalk café for 8 tables and 16 seats at 411-413 Park Avenue South; and

WHEREAS, Community Board Five has received no complaints regarding the placement of an unenclosed sidewalk café at this location; and

WHEREAS, The sidewalk café will not impede pedestrian traffic; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That Community Board Five recommends approval of the application by La Boucherie Inc. d/b/a Les Halles for modification of an unenclosed sidewalk café at 411-413 Park Avenue South for 8 tables and 16 seats.

The above resolution passed with a vote of of 21 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 abstention.  

WHEREAS, Earth Day New York has applied for a permit to hold an Earth Day Expo on Vanderbilt Avenue, between 42nd and 44th Streets on Friday, April 22nd and Saturday, April 23rd ;and

WHEREAS, The applicant has agreed to abide by the Community Board Five guidelines; and

WHEREAS, Community Board Five requests that the sponsor limit the number of food and beverage vendors; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That Community Board Five recommends approval of the application by Earth Day New York to hold an Earth Day Expo.

The above  resolution passed with a vote of of 21 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 abstention.  

WHEREAS, The Philippine Independence Day Council Inc. (Applicant) has made an application to conduct a street fair and cultural program on Madison Avenue between 23rd Street and 28th Street including the area adjacent to the east side of Madison Square Park on Sunday, June 5, 2005; and

WHEREAS, The Applicant has agreed to abide by the Street Activity Permit Guidelines established by Community Board Five and has submitted all required documentation pursuant thereto; and

WHEREAS, There will be no organized events within the Park boundaries except for Vendor booths, which will be set up on the outer sidewalk on the east side of the Park along Madison Avenue, and the number of vendors will be approximately the same as in past years, and all cooking/food preparation will take place on the west side of Madison Avenue across the street from the Park; and

WHEREAS, The street fair is being expanded on the north side from 26th Street to 28th Street in order to better spread out the vendor locations and reduce the density of people in the activity area, with 26th through 28th Streets remaining open to cross town traffic throughout the event; and

WHEREAS, The Applicant has agreed to increase the number of clean-up personnel on hand and to clean the park area continuously throughout the event; and

WHEREAS, The applicant is aware of the concerns of area residents regarding the noise associated with the amplified sound at such events and has agreed to set up the stage for the cultural program at 24th Street facing north in order to minimize the noise impact on area residents; and

WHEREAS, This event was successfully held in this area for thirteen years; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That Community Board Five recommends approval of the Philippine Independence Day Council Inc.’s application to conduct a street fair and cultural program on Madison Avenue between 23rd Street and 28th Street including the area adjacent to the west side of Madison Square Park on Sunday, June 5, 2005.

The above resolution passed with a vote of 21 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 abstention.  

WHEREAS, Cartier is an individual landmark, and elegant townhouse, originally the Morton Plant House, erected in l903-05 for Plant, a banker, yachtsman and baseball club owner, and designed by Robert Gibson and C.P.H. Gilbert; and

WHEREAS, In l9l7 it was successfully converted to a distinguished commercial building when Cartier Jewelers moved in; and

WHEREAS, The application is to restore an original side street entrance, clock and ornate balcony, add new wrought iron gates and to alter the storefront at that entrance; and

WHEREAS, Great care is being taken to do the work on this very beautiful mansion and bring back this magnificent and ornate entrance; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That Community Board Five recommends approval of the Certificate of Appropriateness application by Cartier. 

The  above resolution passed with a vote of 22 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 abstention.  

WHEREAS, The building is a Chicago style commercial building designed by Goldwin Starrett and Van Vlaeck and built in 1908; and

WHEREAS, The applicant proposes altering two storefront bays along 17th Street and two storefront bays along Park Avenue South (adjacent to the existing Rothman’s clothing store); and

WHEREAS, The existing painted plywood transoms behind the existing awnings will be replaced with new mullioned frosted glass transoms behind new landmarks-appropriate (except for the stridently graphic black and white striped material) fixed-canvas awnings; and

WHEREAS, The granite bulkheads will be maintained or modified to match the existing material and the inserted louvered ventilation grilles will blend with the granite bulkheads, and

WHEREAS, The storefronts will be modified with respect to the existing materials, colors and general appearance of the individual landmark; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That Community Board Five recommends approval of the Certificate of Appropriateness application to install new storefront and awnings at 200-218 Park Avenue South (The Everett Building).

The above resolution passed with a vote of 22 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 abstention. 

WHEREAS, The building is a Classical Revival style building, designed by Emory Roth and Thomas Hastings and built in 1925; and

WHEREAS, The existing marquee has been damaged by trucks, despite the installation of sidewalk bollards, due to the projection of the marquee out to the curb line; and

WHEREAS, The applicant proposes to otherwise restore the historic marquee to its original condition, but will cut back one bay of coffers (or 2’-9” back from the curb) which is cause for some concern; and

WHEREAS, The restoration of the marquee will increase the clear height from the sidewalk to the underside of the marquee by somewhere between 8” to 16”, but it is not certain that this increase would protect the marquee from further damage by trucks without bringing it back from the curb line;  and

WHEREAS, The applicant has indicated willingness to restore the underside of the marquee soffit as well with historical pressed metal material, instead of the existing aluminum closure panels; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That Community Board Five recommends approval of the Certificate of Appropriateness application to repair the exterior marquee at 461 Park Avenue on 57th Street.

The above resolution passed with a vote of 18 in favor, 4 opposed, 3 abstentions. 

WHEREAS, New York City Department of Transportation has requested that bicycle racks be placed at numerous locations in Community Board Five; and

WHEREAS,, Community Board Five has supported the installation of Bicycle Racks as long as they allow enough sidewalk clearance and do not interfere with pedestrian traffic; and

WHEREAS, Community Board Five wants to encourage people to use alternative means of transportation and believes availability of bicycle racks will help accomplish this goal; and

WHEREAS, The community, including the Business Improvement Districts, were made aware of the possible installation of these bicycle racks and were permitted to voice their concerns; and

WHEREAS, The bicycle racks meet the conditions set forth by the New York City Department of Transportation; and

WHEREAS, Members of Community Board Five examined the locations for the bicycle racks and support installation of them in locations that will not impede pedestrian traffic; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That Community Board Five recommends approval of the installation of the following bicycle racks as long as they are installed in a manner that minimizes pedestrian obstructions:

• N/S of 27-33 W 23rd St., bet. 5th & 6th Avenues

• S/S of 10 East 21st Street, bet. B/way & 5th Avenue

• N/S of 20 East 46th Street, bet. Madison & 5th Avenues

• W/S of 100 Park Avenue, bet. 40th & 41st Streets

• N/S of 11 East 26th Street, bet. 5th & 6th Avenues

• S/S of 165 West 57th Street, bet. 6th & 7th Avenues

• S/S of 118 East 31st Street, bet. Lexington & Park Avenues

• N/S of 31 West 27th Street, bet. B/way & 6th Avenue

And be it further

RESOLVED, That Community Board Five opposes the installation of bicycle racks at the following location because the residents of the area have raised concerns that they would obstruct the sidewalk:

• N/S of 7 West 55th Street, bet. 5th & 6th Avenues