Annabelle Selldorf charmed the Landmarks Preservation Commission yesterday with a thorough and contemplative presentation of her design for 42 Crosby Street, currently a parking lot, soon to be a very large building. Unfortunately for Selldorf, the commissioners were less charmed by the design itself—a five story base with an additional four stories set back 25 feet from the street wall—calling the aluminum and glass facade "institutional," "flat and relentless," and "1950s school-like." The base, which Selldorf limited to 71 feet in order to align it with the cornices of the two neighboring buildings, was referred to as "squat" and "awkward." Although the overall reaction wasn't as bad as it sounds, a majority of the commissioners were in agreement that either the base should be raised a floor (cornice alignment be damned!) or Selldorf should apply for a special permit to allow the tower to be moved forward.
· 42 Crosby Street coverage [Curbed]
· Annabelle Selldorf coverage [Curbed]
Filed under:
Loading comments...