In Quick Turnaround, Design for New Heights Building Gets OK From LPC

January 20, 2012 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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Changes Made Win Unanimous Approval From Commissioners

By Linda Collins
Brooklyn Daily Eagle

MANHATTAN — In a one-week turnaround, changes made to the design of a new Brooklyn Heights residential building were approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) on Tuesday.

It was just last Tuesday, Jan. 10, that commissioners asked the design team of the proposed new five-story, five-unit building at 30 Henry St. to consider making some additional changes.

Noting that his fellow commissioners made some very important points, LPC Chair Robert Tierney concluded by saying, “I applaud the owner and the architect, but I advise them to work more with our staff and come back to us shortly and allow us to revisit it.”

At the meeting, commissioners appeared to be at a consensus that the building as designed “is a great start but is not quite there yet” and “it’s well on its way to being appropriate.”

Among their concerns were the entranceway, the quality of the fiberglass cornice, bringing the brick down to the street and “the stuff on the roof” as well as appearing too much like an apartment building and striving to be a background building.

Requests for comments to both the LPC press secretary Elisabeth de Bourbon and to the developer, the Fortis Group, were not returned as of press time yesterday.

Individual Landmark, New Historic District Discussed

Commissioners also voted 10-0-0 “a motion to designate” as an individual landmark the Williamsburg Branch of Public National Bank of New York (now a Bank of America branch) at 47-49 Graham Ave. (aka 63-73 Varet St. in Williamsburg).

The LPC also concluded a public hearing on the proposed Crown Heights North III Historic District.

Votes on these two items will take place sometime in the near future.