FRIENDS Testimony:

12 East 67th Street is an interesting example of a townhouse that was radically redesigned in 1920 to reflect an aesthetic movement that is explored in Andrew Dolkart’s book The Row House Reborn. The designer, James Gamble Rogers, was a prolific architect perhaps best known for his significant collegiate work at Yale, Columbia, and Northwestern. Rogers designed few residences and 12 East 67th Street is a rare example of a residential redesign, a marked departure from his typical Collegiate Gothic style.

The Preservation Committee at FRIENDS heartily welcomes a return of Regency Revival features that would correct the 1978 alterations to James Gamble Rogers’ original design. But the choices made by the applicant should be based on the clear documentation provided by original sketches and the historic tax photograph. To replace some architectural details and not others demonstrates a disregard for the architect’s original conception. Our committee views this proposal as an opportunity to return the distinctive elements of this significant design, such as the original 2/6 and 6/6 windows. The hooded balcony is the defining Regency Revival feature of the design and it is imperative that it be restored. We ask the Commission to work with the applicant to craft a more historically-appropriate proposal.