Developer Steven Schnall and his team went before Community Board 1's landmarks committee last night to present a plan for 11-15 Leonard Street, a 75-foot-wide slice of Tribeca currently occupied by two garages?and soon, if Schnall and co. have their way, to be occupied by a seven-story building topped by a two-story penthouse. The neighbors, as it turns out, would prefer that Schnall?creator of the mind-boggling 2 North Moore Street, aka Our Suburb?not have his way. More on that in a moment.
The basics of the building: it would be 75 feet wide at the base (where it would retain the garages in an attempt to "talk to the idea of loading docks on the ground floor in Tribeca") and 60 feet wide above that, due to an easement. There would be a total of six units. The facade would be made of channel glass, a glass sandwich filled with insulation (yum!) and meant to let in light without being see-through. The facade would be surrounded by a metal frame. The total height would be close to 118 feet, a bit shorter than what the developer is allowed to build in that spot.
The members of CB 1's landmarks committee had two main concerns about the building: height and appearance. One commissioner wished the facade were a brownish color, rather than gray, and another requested a "warmer" gray. "I'm trying to like it," said one commissioner.
Most of the neighbors in attendance weren't trying to like it. Several spoke about the narrowness of the street and how construction and congestion from a new building would be problematic; others share CB 1's concerns about how tall the building would be. The co-op and condo boards of a few neighboring buildings have retained a lawyer, but no specific legal action appears to be on the horizon. In the meantime, the committee issued a symbolic resolution against the design, clearing the way for Team Schnall to head to the Landmarks Preservation Commission.
· Creator of Our Suburb Plans New Leonard Street Building [Curbed]
· Our Suburb coverage [Curbed]
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