More trouble over at the Whitney expansion. Seems that one of the two brownstones the Whitney wants to raze is a "contributing building," which means it's protected from demolition. (Never mind that the museum owns the building.) And, as NY Mag's Alex French reports, "in 40 years of decision-making, the Landmarks Preservation Commission has never issued a certificate of appropriateness to allow for the razing of a contributing building." Don't worry, Whitney director Adam Weinberg has a plan:
"Renzo said we need 24 or 25 feet; can we cut one brownstone in half? That?s defensible, cutting a contributing brownstone in half."We'll bring the chainsaw! Meanwhile, in case you missed it, the Times thinks they should just get on with it and tear the thing down. Anything for Renzo. [Photos via NY Mag courtesy of Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Architects and the Whitney Museum of American Art]
· A Tale of Two Brownstones [Intelligencer]
· Whitney Plays Piano for Expansion [Curbed]