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Landmarks
901 Broadway, application for Certificate of Appropriateness for proposed building lobby entry storefront and awning renovations.
WHEREAS, 901 Broadway (at southwest corner of East 20 Street) is the former Lord and Taylor Department Store Building and is both an individual Landmark building and part of the Ladies Mile Historic District; and
WHEREAS, 901 Broadway is a distinguished example of a French Second Empire style commercial palaces built for one of the most prestigious mercantile firms in the City, and
WHEREAS, Following Lord and Taylor's move uptown, 901 Broadway was separated from the adjacent two properties which became separate tax lots, and
WHEREAS, The current owner of main portion of the original property, Thor Equities, is proposing a redesigned building entrance on East 20 Street at the westerly end of the property, approximately 100 feet from the corner of Broadway and a canopy above the entrance; and
WHEREAS, Contrary to the summary provided to Community Board Five, there will be no "storefront" renovations other than the proposed new entrance to the building and the "awning" is in reality a canopy above the entrance to the building, and no other "awnings" are being proposed; and
WHEREAS, The renovations which are being proposed are intended to draw attention to the entrance to the building which is being partially converted from floors three to five into commercial occupancy in order to make the building more desirable for commercial purposes; and
WHEREAS, The renovations being proposed are not in keeping with the either the historical character of the Historic District nor the architectural fabric of the Landmark for the following reasons:
RESOLVED, Community Board 5 recommends denial of the application for renovations to the entryway and canopy at 901 Broadway.
The above resolution passed by a vote of 29 in favor; 0 opposed; 1 abstaining.