FRIEND's testimony:

FRIENDS cannot support this application, and we are compelled to state clearly that we find this project appalling. City of Yes, as we and many preservation organizations warned, would incentivize luxury development at the expense of existing, relatively affordable housing. It also undercuts open-space protections that safeguard light and air at street level—protections that are essential in dense neighborhoods like the Upper East Side. This proposal is the embodiment of those fears becoming reality.

We object to the proposed fifteen-foot rear-yard extension on the first six floors and the additional three feet planned for the upper floors, both of which would further diminish the already limited open space in the interior courtyard. We also object to the enlargement of the Fifth Avenue footprint, previously approved by the Commission in 2023. In addition, we are deeply concerned by the proposed elimination of the Privately Owned Public Space on Fifth Avenue—a plaza and arcade whose creation earned the developer a floor-area “bonus” in 1969. The removal of The Castle, Priscilla Kopel’s steel sculpture, represents yet another unacceptable loss. Why should the City of Yes permit a developer to disregard long-established principles and regulations by constructing a taller and bulkier building while simultaneously removing the very public amenity that justified the additional height and bulk? For decades, this public space has been an integral part of the Fifth Avenue streetscape and the character of the neighborhood—a welcoming place on the east side of the avenue. Its removal would be a significant and unnecessary loss to the community.

As we stated in our 2023 testimony, we also question the environmental prudence of demolishing a 1970 building rather than retrofitting it. The structure may not be considered architecturally significant, but it is an authentic expression of its time. In the midst of a climate crisis and a projected 2.6°C temperature increase, such wanton demolition—with its substantial emissions, extensive construction debris, and waste of embodied carbon—is indefensible when recladding or retrofitting is a viable alternative. We strongly object to this improper and unnecessarily wasteful course of action.

We also lament the drastic reduction in housing that this new luxury project represents. A 24-story building with 46 rental units—including at least six rent-stabilized apartments whose leases ended in 2022 and 2023—is slated to be replaced by just 26 luxury units and no affordable housing.

Finally, the 1965 demolition of the Brokaw Mansions at 984 and 985 Fifth Avenue was painful yet defining moment in preservation history that led to the passage of the NYC’s Landmarks Laws. FRIENDS believes that preservation is not about token gestures, such as silhouettes on side facades or symbolic reliefs on service doors, which are meant to memorialize what has already been lost. Preservation means fighting for the buildings, public spaces, and artworks like The Castle while they still stand. We refuse to accept their erasure only to commemorate them after the fact. For all these reasons, we strongly urge the Commission to deny this application.

LPC Hearing: November 18, 2025