FRIENDS' Testimony:

The Preservation Committee at FRIENDS found many of the proposed alterations to 909 Madison Avenue appropriate, including those to the Madison Avenue entry, the rooftop mechanical equipment, and windows. But while the committee found the barrier free access ramp to be well-designed, they questioned whether other options had been fully explored that might have less visual impact on this remarkably intact neo-Federal style bank building. Suggestions include placing the ramp in the building’s interior or making minor alterations to the Madison Avenue entrance. FRIENDS asks the Commission to work with the architects in pursuing all possible accessibility solutions before approving this application.