The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is set to review a proposal for alterations and a rooftop addition at 144 West 80th Street, a four-story townhouse on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Designed by DTLS Architecture, the project involves modifications to both the front and rear façades, along with the construction of a setback penthouse addition designed to minimize visibility from the street.
Rendering of proposed changes to the front of 144 West 80th Street, via LPC proposal.
Plans show the addition positioned 21 feet 6 inches behind the primary street-facing façade. The proposal would retain the building’s historic front appearance while introducing a new penthouse level clad in black zinc-coated standing-seam metal. Renderings indicate that the front facade’s ornamental detailing would be restored and enhanced, while the rooftop addition would remain largely concealed from public view.
Rendering of proposed changes to the rear of 144 West 80th Street, via LPC proposal.
At the rear, the project calls for a substantial redesign of the existing façade, replacing the current stucco exterior with a brick-clad composition featuring larger window openings and a penthouse level above. Project materials include zoning analyses, sight-line studies, and pole-test photographs intended to demonstrate that the rooftop addition would not be visible from West 80th Street. The submission also notes that numerous neighboring rowhouses on the block have previously received rooftop additions.
The property is located between Amsterdam Avenue and Columbus Avenue within the Upper West Side/Central Park West Historic District. The closest subways from the site are the 1 train at the 79th Street station and the B and C trains at the 81st Street–Museum of Natural History station.
The proposal will be reviewed as a public meeting item on Tuesday, June 9.
Subscribe to YIMBY’s daily e-mail
Follow YIMBYgram for real-time photo updates
Like YIMBY on Facebook
Follow YIMBY’s Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews
I personally would vote no on this. The staircase in the rendering has pretty much all of its molding removed and they also want to get rid of the cornice in favor of whatever that is. They can have their penthouse addition and do the back of the house over as they please but I think they should go for facade restoration instead of a complete remodel.
Agree – and why screw up the uniform roof line?
IF we can’t get ADRs added to townhouses we might as well throw in the towel on anything.
LPC should issue rules on color, setback, etc that make this a no brainer.
Quite literally half of the townhomes (11 out of 22) on this block have penthouse additions and none of them needed to remove their cornice or remove any molding to accomplish that. What makes this home special such that in order to build their penthouse they need to destroy parts of the building?
I think you’re replying to the wrong person.
I’m not one of the naysayers.
I’m for the LPC opening a route for quick action on these additions.
Looks like they are removing so many details in the front.