Recall the saga of Union Square's Oddjob building, a modernist gem by architect Morris Lapidus which fell to a wrecking ball in March?just seconds before the Landmarks Commission was scheduled to rule on its preservation? Turns out, they were right just to tear the ol' joint down. A Curbed correspondent reports:
On Tuesday, the Landmarks Commission voted not to designate the Oddjob building as an individual landmark. The Chair of the Landmarks Preservation Commission described how the Commission reached out to the owner of the building (Allan Goldman), who subsequently demolished the tower to prevent designation and pulled a demolition permit. (Interestingly enough, the city won a landmark demolition by neglect suit against Goldman for the Skidmore House, located at 37 E. 4th Street.) The Commissioners found that after the demolition of the tower and other elements of the building that the most significant elements of the building are gone. They did, however designate Lapidus? Summit Hotel.
Genius reasoning, that. Curbed salutes everyone involved with this demolition, and hopes for many more.
· Rebuilding Lapidus' Oddjob Building? [Curbed]
· Tribute to an Odd Job [Curbed]
· Union Square's Stairway to Nowhere Vanishes [Curbed]