FRIENDS' Testimony:

The Henderson Place Historic District has a long history of miscellaneous rooftop additions, the most prominently visible of which are varied and whimsical chimney extensions that conjure images of the fairy tale of Mary Poppins’ London.

From a visibility standpoint, FRIENDS’ Preservation Committee takes no issue with the visible brick chimney extension. We ask though, that the dimensions and the setback of the penthouse be adjusted in order to prevent any visibility of the new railing, while still meeting code.

The Committee feels though, that it is important to note that the homes lining Henderson Place are situated at the south-west boundary of the district on a narrow, dead-end street uniquely obscured from public thoroughfares. While slightly visible rooftop additions within this portion of the District are not highly visually impactful, such additions would be much more apparent on homes in the portions of the district facing East End Avenue and East 86th and 87th Streets, especially those that would be visible from Carl Schurz Park across the street.

While it so happens that this rooftop addition is not objectionable from a visibility standpoint in this portion of the district, we do have concerns about the cumulative impact over time if this rooftop addition is used as a precedent to allow others in the more visible portions of the district. Determinations of appropriateness are rarely one size fits all and the context and features of an individual property within a historic district are significant considerations. That being said, an abundance of new visible additions throughout the Henderson Place Historic District could result in an inappropriate cumulative impact that would alter its overall character and integrity.