FRIENDS' Testimony:

As you all know, FRIENDS fought hard for the Upper East Side Historic District Extension, and in reviewing this application we found ourselves questioning how we can establish standards for the future of our beloved streetscape. The Lexington Avenue storefronts are a key part of the historic district, and so these applications are important.

This proposal is particularly troublesome given that neither the proposed storefront infill nor the awning conform to the LPC rules. FRIENDS finds the awning to be too wide, and that the out-sized dimensions further exaggerate the effect of the bright pink color. Additionally, the proposed storefront infill composed solely of operable doors is inappropriate. For precedent, the applicant relies on non-historic storefronts installed prior to designation, which are grandfathered and do not comply with the LPC rules.

FRIENDS finds no reason to allow an exception to the storefront and awning rules in this case. We ask the Commission to disapprove this application.