The Landmarks Preservation Commission is set to review a renovation proposal for 675 Hudson Street, a five-story mixed-use building in the Meatpacking District of Manhattan. Designed by Mancini Duffy Architecture, the proposal outlines a number of aesthetic and structural modifications to the vernacular/Neo-Grec style building, which was originally constructed in 1849 and subsequently enlarged between 1854-1860.
The below Google Street View image shows the current conditions of the building.
675 Hudson Street. Photo: Google
Key among the proposed changes is the addition of painted signage to the building. The proposal emphasizes the historical context of such signage, drawing inspiration from the below photograph taken in 1855, which shows the building painted with messaging similar to that which is outlined in the proposal. If approved, the new signage will span the entire width of the building between levels.
675 Hudson Street / 24 9th Avenue in 1855, via nyc.gov
Beyond that, the proposal includes plans to install marquees, replace storefront cornices, sills, and lintels, along with the restoration and repainting of the building’s cornice. The ground floor will also receive a uniform paint job in a charcoal color, unifying the building’s appearance.
Beyond cosmetic changes, the proposal also touches on several functional aspects of the building, including the installation of rooftop mechanical equipment and the enlargement of bulkheads. The removal of an interior floor is also part of the proposal, suggesting a reconfiguration of the building’s internal space to better suit modern needs.
Building aerial view, via nyc.gov
The LPC is set to review the plans on Tuesday, January 9.
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Another LV Store?
There’s no mention of Louis Vuitton in the article Mark
Look at the proposed signage. All LV.
The current brick looks a lot better than the changes.
That sidewalk rocks
Are you stoned?
You igneous.
Is it really necessary to recreate the bad taste of an earlier era in terms of signage?
good point!
Not only that, there is the added insult of the enormous freestanding billboard squatting in the middle of the roof. I wonder how the Landmarks Commission allows such a thing.
Grandfathered in. It was on the roof when the District was landmarked. Of note, the building is not landmarked, just part of the landmarked Meatpacking District.
I’ll never understand why some think that signage is a problem. Does anyone look at early 20th century views of Manhattan commercial streets and think “that would look amazing if it wasn’t for all the signage!” ?
Really though.
This building has restaurants at its base. Having them at the base adds a lot of character to the area – removing them for an LV store would be a mistake.
Get rid of all the ugly billboards on the West Side Highway/Henry Hudson.
Considering the former tenants in the basement spaces it is fitting to advertise the leather goods.
“replace storefront cornices, sills, and lintels”
That’s rather substantial and destroys historic building elements. I wonder how this is justified on a Landmark building.
And will removing a floor also involve removing historical interior elements? Where’s the Preservation?
All they have to approve is any work done on the facade. The building itself is not landmarked but part of a landmarked district, which just protects the facades. Hence Restoration Hardware building built within the old walls of Pastiche and the garage that used to be there.
From the Anvil to Louis Vuitton. Quite a jump!!!
It’s a great building, & the way it is currently looks much better.
As a former New Yorker and NYU City Planning intern over 40 years ago during Raquel Ramati’s tenure, nothing phases me anymore about modern NYC planning. It’s always been a chess match between the retail/ business community and the city government. Today, the city government gives in much more easily to private owners and the business community to frequently poor design ideas or ridiculous traffic patterns. Literally, very little is “sacred” anymore which leads to weird planning incontinuities not just in NYC of course.
i wonder if they will boot out the businesses for the louis v shoppe?