Reed Hilderbrand Landscape Architects

The American Museum of Natural History, located between West 77th and 81st streets on the Upper West Side, has filed plans with the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) for their expansion project, the Wall Street Journal reported. Since the museum board approved the Studio Gang Architects-designed project late last year, the proposed expansion has grown from 218,000 square feet to 235,000 square feet. Also, the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation — a ground-up six-story structure near 79th Street — has been altered to cut into only a quarter of an acre of Theodore Roosevelt Park, down from half an acre. Changes to the 2015 plans include reducing the number of trees removed from nine to seven, and demolishing three existing structures. Extensive reconfiguration work and upgrades to park space remain key elements of the project. In addition to the LPC, the Parks Department must also approve the project. Completion is tentatively expected in 2020.