St. Mark's Place Office Building Voted Down By CB3 Landmarks

EAST VILLAGE, NY — A plan to buy air rights from a landmarked building and transfer them to build a 10-story office building on St. Mark's Place was opposed by Community Board 3's Landmarks Committee Wednesday night.

Some 17 attendees spoke against the plan — worried that the new building would alter what many described as the entryway into the East Village and St. Mark's Place, a historic corridor made up almost totally of five and six story brick walk-ups.

The proposed office building would replace the now-closed Continental Bar and Papaya King.

"It's about how we feel about that street and the entrance to that street," said Carolyn Ratcliffe, co-chair of the CB 3 Landmarks Committee. "It destroys the whole feel of that block, which is really historic."

But representatives for Real Estate Equities Corp. contended they could build an office building almost as big without the air rights. REEC is also requesting bulk waivers with the additional development rights to build the first setback to line up with other buildings on St. Mark's at 63 feet.

The air rights purchase — which are worth approximately $4 million, according to representatives of the developer — would require the owner of the landmarked Hamilton-Holly House at 4 St. Mark's Place to set aside 5 percent of the funds for future maintenance of the 1830s building where Alexander and Holly Hamilton once lived. The landmark's maintenance plan through the transfer would be "in perpetuity," according to the developer reps' presentation on Wednesday.

Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, opposed the project, saying 5 percent of the $4 million was too little and the as-of-right building would be 20 percent smaller.

"The reason why we're so concerned about this is because we don't think a big office building on the corner of St. Mark's Place and Third Avenue is appropriate," said Berman. "I wish we could make it go away altogether. ... It is not a worthwhile trade-off."

But another preservationist, who supports a Lower East Side Historic District, left room for negotiation. A longterm maintenance plan for Hamilton-Holly would be beneficial, said Richard Moses, president of the Lower East Side Preservation Initiative.

"Particularly, we're disheartened that the 19th Century building on the corner of St. Mark's and Third Avenue is coming down, however, we felt a little differently about the overall benefit of the 74-79 [special permit]," said Richard Moses, president of the Lower East Side Preservation Initiative.

A longterm maintenance plan for Hamilton-Holly would be beneficial, but Moses said the group's support is dependent on a better, "harmonious" design for "the spirit of St. Mark's Place." Moses wants this process to improve REEC's design so that "maybe people would want to landmark [it] in 30 years."

Other neighbors recognized the developers could build another building as-of-right, but opposed anything larger than that.

"If they have a right to build a building, I don't want them to make it bigger," said Anne Mitcheltree, who's lived on E. 5th St. for 40 years.

A resident at a neighboring building since 2016 who was previously undecided ultimately opposed the proposal. "I'm biased because that is my street, but I do see that as an entrance to the East Village," said Jacob Ford, a 24-year-old web designer.Some in the neighborhood see the proposed office building as a part of the growth of the so-called "Silicon Alley," with an increase in tech jobs and office buildings in what has historically been lower-rise residential buildings.

The opposition to the 10-story building comes months after the City Council approved the controversial Tech Hub, a 21-story building to replace P.C. Richard & Son store on E. 14th St. for a digital skills training center. Rivera has been heavily criticized for that vote, particularly by Berman's preservation group. Though Rivera negotiated for seven landmarks designations (including the Strand Bookstore) through the Tech Hub rezoning, the Greenwich Village preservation group called it a "fraction of a fraction of the neighborhood protections" the group wanted.

REEC is asking asking the Landmarks Preservation Commission to issue a report to the City Planning Commission to allow for 10-story building. If the LPC gives the greenlight, REEC would then apply for a special permit for around 8,300 square feet of air rights and modify part of the zoning resolution through a special permit.

Once in City Planning's hands, the special permit would snake through the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), which is ultimately sent to City Council where the local councilmember, Carlina Rivera, would have a binding vote. Rivera has not yet weighed in, but her spokesman said the councilmember is listening to community feedback.

The Landmarks Committee vote will go to full board Tues., Feb. 26. The board's vote is not binding, but rather, a recommendation to the LPC.

Image credit: Morris Adjmi Architects via Manhattan Community Board 3's meeting schedule Image caption: A rendering of Real Estate Equities Corp. proposed building at 3 St. Mark's Place.

Second image credit: Morris Adjmi Architects via Manhattan Community Board 3's meeting schedule Image caption: A comparison of what developers could build at 3 St. Mark's Place.