FRIENDS' CB8 Testimony:

FRIENDS’ Preservation Committee is relieved to see that the applicant at 210 East 62nd Street has submitted a completely new application for a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Landmarks Preservation Commission and that it will be subject to the full public review process.

Given the many years of non-compliance with LPC and DOB permits by the applicants, starting in 2016 when the first application was reviewed by the Community Board, and a Stop Work order issued for massively overbuilt rooftop and rear yard extensions in violation of LPC approvals, we are heartened that the community and the neighbors in Treadwell Farm will once again have a chance to weigh in. We hope that this new application will represent a fresh start and be treated as an entirely new application, and that the applicants will be required to remove the existing non-compliant work at the site before they can proceed.

FRIENDS’ Preservation Committee will be reviewing the details of the application, but as an initial comment we hope that the applicants will pay close attention to the scale and character of the Historic District as they refine their proposal.

The drawings submitted with the application do not adequately show how the proposed building will fit into the surrounding historic district. It is difficult to discern the colors and textures and how far the rear yard addition extends to the property line. We also question the use of PVDF coated aluminum transoms on the rear façade. We ask the applicants to ensure that the rooftop and rear yard additions maintain an appropriate and contextual scale and that the proposal prioritizes the preservation of this building and its character.