FRIENDS' Testimony:

The Park Avenue Historic District was formed, in part, to stop the slow accretion of unsympathetic changes to historic buildings along the avenue. The changes, while often seemingly minor, can have a detrimental effect on the district as a whole. The designation of the historic district allows the Commission to not only stop, but reverse, these inappropriate alterations. 911 Park Avenue is a prime example, and while it is certainly not the most egregious, the current proposal for a window master plan is still inappropriate for a distinguished building in a historic district.

While we appreciate the applicant’s use of divided-light windows on the lowest 3 floors, the use of 1-over-1 windows throughout the rest of the building is unacceptable, as is using aluminum frames rather than wood. The master plan should specify divided-light wood windows to match the historic configuration.

The Preservation Committee at FRIENDS requests the Commission work with the applicant to specify appropriate window configuration throughout the entire building, not just at the base.