Thursday, April 21, 2011

☞ REVIVE: 2066 Fifth Avenue Facade Demolished




A reader sent in current photos of 2066 Fifth just north of 127th Street and it now appears that the top floor additions planned for the building actually means having an entirely new structure designed.  Permits that went up over a year ago had revealed that the third and fourth floors would be removed but the site apparently does not have one brick of the original facade remaining at this point.  This adaptive reuse project that would have restored the last building in a row of distinct townhouses has now suddenly turned into a new construction.

10 comments:

  1. That is sickening.

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  2. How does a building acquire landmark status? It would break
    my heart if the mansion next door (2064) gets the same fate
    if the family decides to sell to a developer in the future!!

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  3. Nooooooooooo!!!!!!!

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  4. Harlem Cubano asked about how a property acquires landmark status. The entire process takes a while, but it starts when someone submits a Request for Evaluation to the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Anyone can do it, you can find the form here: http://www.nyc.gov/html/lpc/downloads/pdf/forms/request_for_evaluation.pdf Other info can be found here: http://www.nyc.gov/html/lpc/html/faqs/faqs.shtml

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  5. Letter sent to the Preservation Commission.
    Thank you for the info...

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  6. From the photo this is essentially a new structure that is now a steel framed skeleton, the only thing remaining is the load bearing brick walls shared with the adjacent properties. From the original photo we can see the façade is gorgeous and its destruction is a tragic loss in this row of unique gable fronted homes. I fear some modernist balconied glass and steel building will appear. The worst vandals in the City of New York are developers.

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  7. Interested to know who the previous owners were. Again it looks like a situation where there was once a beautiful building let go into complete disrepair. From the Google maps image, the facade did look as if it had been let go completely. What a shame. I'm sure the previous owners also made a nice sum out of selling out to the developers. They are just as much to blame in my book. Of course, hypothesizing here so that may not at all be the case.

    There is an empty lot by me that to be honest, I would be more than happy to see utilized for a modern development. Problem is, the owner wants 1 million for it and I believe he picked it up 20 years ago for a few thousand. With owners of empty lots holding out for huge, unrealistic sums, is it any surprise to see developers go down this road?

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  8. @ Westsider.. The developer for 2066 5th. Avenue is planning a 12 unit condo on the double lot on 5-7 West 172th Street. Both buildings will share the same backyard. The 12 unit condo is supposed to have a brick front with "balconies", so I'm guessing 2066 5th Avenue will have the same design?

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  9. correction... I meant "127th" Street.

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