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The Chanin Building, 122 East 42nd Street, application to replace windows and doors.

At the scheduled monthly meeting of Community Board Five on Thursday, November 14, 2013, the Board passed the following resolution by a vote of 38 in favor; 0 opposed; 1 abstaining:

WHEREAS, The Chanin Building, 122 East 42nd Street, on the southwest corner of Lexington Avenue, is a 56 story Art Deco style building, commissioned and constructed in 1927-29 by the Chanin Construction Company, to the design of architects Sloan & Robertson was designated as an individual landmark on November 14, 1978; and

WHEREAS, The building's owners have submitted an application which requests permission to replace all windows, specifically to remove the Campbell double hung steel framed windows which have been in place since the building was first constructed; and

WHEREAS, The applicant has developed a master plan and is proposing to replace the existing windows with Traco TR9000 Series double hung aluminum framed energy efficient windows with clear Low-E glass, manufactured by Kilroy, the firm that currently owns the patents for the Campbell designs; and

WHEREAS, Existing doors which provide access to parapet balconies are proposed to be replaced with Traco NX-8900 Series aluminum framed outswing terrace doors; and

WHEREAS, Existing louver windows are proposed to be replaced with new louver windows that that include pane configurations to be consistent with the adjacent glass windows; and

WHEREAS, Jablonsky Building Conservation has performed an historical analysis of the paint on the existing window frames, and has determined that the earliest identified finish is a grayish olive color similar to Pittsburgh Paints' 409-7 "Grape Leaves", which is the proposed paint color for the new windows; and

WHEREAS, The proposed new windows would be installed within the existing masonry openings, and these would match the existing windows in sizes, enframements, glass pane configurations and mullions, however, there would be minor diminution from the existing glazing areas to the proposed glazing areas; and

WHEREAS, 74% of the proposed new windows are Window Type A, three-over-one paned, and these would retain 90% of the existing glazing area; and

WHEREAS, The diminution in glazing area in the remaining 26% of the proposed windows, Types B, C and D, would be 14.8%, 17.3% and 12.7% respectively; and

WHEREAS, The proposed scope of restoration and alteration work is extensive, and the proposed changes would be in the spirit of the design vocabulary and intent of the original building; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends approval of application to replace windows and doors at The Chanin Building, 122 East 42nd Street, bet. De Pew Place and Lexington Avenue.

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