On Tuesday, after a (probably unnecessarily) lengthy presentation, the Landmarks Preservation Commission swiftly approved changes to the three-story-tall townhouse at 41 West 11th Street in Greenwich Village. The mid-1840s home, which was purchased a year ago by entrepreneur Adam Neumann for $12 million, will be getting a fourth story, a new rear addition, new planters, a pergola in the rear yard, and a removable stroller storage box in the front. Architect Todd Ernst of Ernst Architect is handling the redesign.
One commissioner, Adi-Shamir Baron, thought the design was a "strange approach," but wasn't ready to vote against it. The Historic Districts Council also supported the proposal, conditionally. "HDC finds the rooftop addition acceptable, as care was taken to conceal its visibility and preserve the low scale experience of West 11th Street," HDC's Kelly Carroll said. "While the proportions of the rear façade are appealing, the Committee resolved that smaller masonry openings on the rear may be a more successful composition and we suggest reducing the amount of glazing." The only other piece of public testimony came from a resident of West 12th Street, who was "deeply concerned," in a general sense. Ernst promised to try and minimize noise during construction.
—Evan Bindelglass is a local freelance journalist, photographer, cinephile, and foodie. You can e-mail him, follow him on Twitter @evabin, or check out his personal blog.
· 41 West 11th Street coverage [Curbed]
· All Landmarks Preservation coverage [Curbed]
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