130 East 70th Street

Building Name

130 East 70th Street

Architect

John Sexton

Year(s) Built

1869

Designation

Upper East Side Historic District

Project Information:

An Italianate/Second Empire style rowhouse designed by John Sexton and built in 1869. Application is to reclad the facade.

CB8 Hearing: 04/19/21 (Approved)
LPC Hearing: 05/11/21 (No Action)
LPC Meeting: 06/22/21 (Approved)

FRIENDS' Testimony:

FRIENDS appreciates the effort to restore some of the decorative details that have been stripped off from this Italianate rowhouse. We are, however, concerned about the lack of proportion of the doorway enframement. Historically, the enframement would be more robust and three-dimensional as compared with the proposed one.

FRIENDS Preservation Committee takes issue with the replacement of the main door and half-moon transom window. These significant features seem to be the only remaining original details of the rowhouse and their removal would represent a significant loss to the building. Additionally, the use of a tooled finish at the ground floor seems inconsistent with the rowhouse style and we are unsure about the need for this detail.

Finally, we are not opposed to the proposed pavement nor the detailed railing and fence, nevertheless we are reluctant about the use of stainless steel.

LPC Hearing:
FRIENDS' Testimony:

FRIENDS recognizes the effort on the part of the applicant to address the issues brought up by members of the public and the Commissioners, when this proposal was presented in May. We appreciate the fact that some of the historic details of the facade will be recreated and believe the new doorway enframement to be an improvement from the previously proposed one. However, we still feel that a more robust and three-dimensional enframement is more appropriate to the building’s style.

FRIENDS Preservation Committee applauds the applicant maintaining the main door and half-moon transom windows, as they seem to be the only remaining original details of this rowhouse.

LPC Hearing: