Building Name
1 East 70th Street-The Frick Collection
Architect
Carrère & Hastings
Year(s) Built
1913-14
Designation
Upper East Side Historic District
Project Information:
A French Louis XVI style mansion designed by Carrère & Hastings and built in 1913-14, and altered by John Russell Pope in 1931-35; an Italian Renaissance Revival style art reference library designed by John Russell Pope and built in 1931-35; a Beaux-Arts style reception hall addition designed by Bayley, Van Dyke, and Poehler and built in 1977; and a viewing garden designed by Russell Page and built in 1977. Application is to install signage and lighting.
CB8 Hearing: 3/20/24
LPC Hearing: 3/26/24 (approved w/modifications)
FRIENDS' LPC testimony:
FRIENDS’ Preservation Committee is eagerly anticipating the reopening of the Frick Collection therefore we have no objection to the signs proposed for the 70th and 71st Streets entrances, which are similar to those pre-renovation. However, we urge the applicant to consider its neighbors in terms of lighting of these signs to minimize the light pollution especially after hours.
Among committee members there were divergent views on the primary signage, an important element given its placement on Fifth Avenue. Some members questioned the necessity of the proposed primary sign and asked if the Frick really require an additional sign on Fifth Avenue. They raised concerns that the primary sign did not fit with the character of the building although the sign itself is aesthetically pleasing. Furthermore, they found the location of it awkward—as it sits on the balustrade wall not centering on either side nor aligned with the vertical lines of the garden wall underneath. Some, on the other hand, although skeptical at first, found it discreet enough to approve. Our committee recommends approval of the signage but urges the applicants to reconsider the design and placement of the Fifth Avenue sign.