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Landmarks

January 2014, Landmarks Committee

APPLICATION TO RENOVATE THE 5TH AVENUE ENTRANCE OF THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING (350 FIFTH AVENUE b/t 33rd and 34th Sts.)

At the scheduled monthly meeting of Community Board Five on Thursday, January 16, 2014, the Board passed the following resolution by a vote of 27 in favor; 0 opposed; 1 abstaining:

WHEREAS, The Empire State Building is both a New York City and U.S. National Historic Landmark located at 350 Fifth Avenue; and

WHEREAS, The Empire State Building was built in 1931 was designed by architect William F. Lamb; and

WHEREAS, The Empire State Building was the tallest building in the world until the completion of the twin towers at the World Trade Center in 1973; and

WHEREAS, The Empire State Building seeks to meet requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act by providing handicapped accessible entry; and

WHEREAS, The applicant wants to provide such entry by renovating the 5^th Avenue entry door, which currently serves as the main entrance to the Empire State Building and 86^th floor observation deck; and

WHEREAS, The existing 5th Avenue entry consists of 2 existing revolving doors and 2 non-historic pairs of swing doors; and

WHEREAS, The applicant seeks to restore exterior swing doors to historical condition with the following objectives:

       Provide handicapped accessible entry at the building's main entrance

       Increase ease of handicapped access at front entry with automatic doors

       Provide doors with automatic operation to mitigate stack effect at main entrance

       Maintain required egress width

       Repair damaged stone flooring; and

WHEREAS, The applicant is proposing to

- replace non-historic swing doors with automatic curved sliding doors,

- add a historically contextual frieze above the door

- install a free standing post with opening mechanism in proximity of the door

WHEREAS, The renovations are deemed to be a sensitive solution to restoring original exterior doors while also solving longstanding issues of meeting ADA compliance for public buildings; and

WHEREAS, Renovations to the entryway will provide a more appropriate vestibule for inclement weather conditions; and

WHEREAS, The proposed free-standing post used to activate automatic doors is necessary in order to meet minimum guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends approval of the application to renovate the 5^th Avenue entrance of the Empire State Building at 350 Fifth Avenue.