OCULUS an eye on new york architecture The New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects Volume 52, Number 3, November 1989 ARVERNE Low-Rise High-Density Housing Arrives at Rockaway SCRIBNER'S It Doesn't Help to be a Landmark: The Story Behind Scribner's ~ Fate Plus: News, Views and more on TkK~dl 2 NYC/AJA OCULUS OCULUS LEnERS Addendum Re: ''Architect Abuse" (September Oculus, pp. 10-11): The most recent edition of the National Society of Professional Engineers' Recommended Salary Ranges for Professional Engineers calculates that new engineering graduates' salaries are close to $30,000, up from $27,400 in 1986. Volume 52, Number 3, November 1989 Editor: Suzanne Stephens Oculus would like to thank Wayne Berg, Architect" doesn't make it a management Deputy Editor: Alex Cohen Deborah Berke, Margot Jacqz, Barry job. A call to the state labor authority Art Director: Abigail Sturges LePatner, George Lewis, Walter about possible abuse will often produce Copy Editors: Renee Cohen, Kate Norment McQuade, Halina Rosenthal, and James a compliance audit. Typesetting: Steintype, Inc. Printer: The Nugent Organization Russell for their letters of commendation Staff Photographer: Dorothy Alexander on the September issue. Anyone considering a position with what amounts to a negative salary in order to The New York Chapter of enhance their resume by working for the the American Institute of Architects On Architecture proverbial "prestigious, design-oriented 457 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022 firm" should stop and think logically 212-838-9670 Dear Editor: about career growth. What most The New York Chapter should, in the interviewers look for is a well-rounded Executive Committee 1989-1990 strongest language possible, let the mix of practical building experience, field Denis G. Kuhn AIA, President will John H. Winkler FAIA,First Vice President Institute know that we not tolerate work, and personal design skills. The David Castro-Blanco FAIA, Vice President the "sale" of Architecture to Interiors emphasis is always on the individual, not Douglas Korves AIA, Vice President and Billboard! It may require that this whether the firms are well-known names. John Ellis AIA, Secretary chapter take a leadership role and James L. Garretson AIA, Treasurer organize other chapters nationwide. Is it Architecture, just like medicine, must Bronson Binger AIA, Director any wonder that so many do not trust begin to fairly compensate its on-the-job Wendy Evans AIA, Director our judgment? trainees and reflect those costs in Harold Fredenburgh AIA, Director businesslike fees. Improved Margaret Helfand AIA, Director Arthur Rosenblatt compensation for architects needs to Judith Solomon AIA, Director [The Chapter has met with both the start at the beginning and not depend Margot Woolley AIA, Director national AIA and BPI regarding its on some undefined wish that clients will Lenore M. Lucey AIA, Executive Director concern over conditions of the sale. See suddenly start to pay higher "value­ Regina Kelly, Executive Secretary the October Oculus, p. 3, for details. - oriented" fees which will then trickle Ed.] down. Chapter Staff Christine Magnus Annemarie Malley Dear Editor: Richard A. Sprow Evelyn Romero Concerning the AIA's recent sale of Vice President/Architecture Judith Rowe Architecture to Billboard Publications, I URS Consultants, Inc. Stephen Suggs feel the only course of action the chapter © 1989 The New York Chapter of the can take is to secede. American Institute of Architects. Corredions All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole Richard Roth, Jr. or in part without written permission is Emery Roth & Sons, PC. We hate it when Oculus is misspelled strictly prohibited. (usually as Oculist); therefore, we want to apologize to William Herrin and OCULUS, published ten times a year, On Architect Abuse Michael Rotondi for having subjected September through June, is a benefit of them to a similar agony in our October NYC/ AIA membership. New York Foundation Dear Editor: for Architecture public member issue. subscription rates: First Class Mail $45, I was interested to note Mssrs. Rivera Overseas First Class Air Mail $85, Overseas and Ziai's article (''Architect Abuse," We should also point out that The Surface Mail $45. September Oculus). As part of a firm Architectural League was not fully that pays above-median salaries and still credited for the announcement of its For more information on professional and exhibit "New Schools for New York: A public memberships please call the Chapter, manages to do a large amount of public at 212-838-9670. work, I'm appalled that this attitude that Photographic Survey of the History of graduates should pay for their Public School Building in New York." The The views expressed in this publication experience through sub-par salaries still exhibit, a compactly and handsomely are not necessarily those of the continues. Even 15 years ago, $10,500 installed small show of the design Executive Committee or Staff of the was an unreasonably low starting salary changes and reforms occl'rring in New NYC/AJA. York's public schools over the last New graduates should be aware that century, is no longer on view at The Cover: (top) the winning schemefor federal and state wage-hour laws require Urban Center, but it is scheduled to travel A rverne, courtyard view, by Ehrenkrantz, payment of overtime over 40 hours at in the New York region. Watch the Oculus Eckstut, Whitelaw and Liebman Melting; (middle) Housing for workers in either basic rates (for "professional" calendar for dates. Meanwhile, apologies Leningrad, early 20th century; ( bottom) employees), or time and one-half (for again to The League for not listing them Arverne, circa 1916. drafters and non-management staff). as the sponsor of the film "The Photo: Dorothy Alexander, bottom. Simply calling a position "Intern Deconstructivist Architects." NOVEMBER 1989 3 NEWS NOTES Commissions Con troversies Capitulations Office bui lding proposed by Platt and Byard, Architects with Emery Roth & Sons, associated architects, at 250 Water Street. New Proiects in the City Robert Geddes and his firm, Geddes Brecher Qualls and Cunningham, have teamed up with David Halpern to design the Leonard Stern School of Business at New York University. ... Gruzen Samton Steinglass are about to embark on yet another Battery Park City apartment New Battery Park City apartment tower by Gruzen Samton Steinglass is far right in house. Their recently completed photo, whi le the Regatta is in left foreground; Peter Sam ton, right. nine-story Regatta condominium has sold remarkably well in a wobbly real Materials for the base are brick and "concept-not plan" is supposed to be estate market (over 85 percent of the 182 granite, with cast stone, and clear and officially announced by Borough condominiums are gone). Thus the same reflective glass above. The LPC must not President Claire Shulman and the Parks developer, Property Resources only weigh the design's appropriateness Commissioner soon. Many say the date Corporation (PRC), is submitting a for the historic district, but act on the may well be after the election, when new design for a 38-story tower with 419 architects' and developer's request that commissioners replace old ones in luxury apartments for approval by the the mandatory arcade not be so certain city departments. Battery Park City Authority. The new mandatory. The FAR for the site is 10, building, one of the tallest allowed in the while the building comes in at about 9.7. Update master plan, will occupy a site south of Since Platt, representing the Municipal the Regatta. Although the Museum of Art Society, wrote the LPC that a The Board of Standards and Appeals Jewish Heritage being designed by previous 14-story design by Emery Roth approved the amended application from James Stewart Polshek was originally was scaleless, bulky, and inappropriate, the Guggenheim Museum to expand slated for the site, after some trading it will be interesting to see how LPC below grade and to relocate the around, it will now be built just to the reacts to the latest Milstein move . .. restaurant to its original location on Fifth north. Meanwhile the money from PRC Rumors have been circulating that the Avenue and 88th Street (September for this coveted piece of property - New York City Parks Department was not Oculus, p.3). Meanwhile, the Landmarks estimated around $30 million - goes all that keen on the scheme that the Preservation Commission has finally put toward the realization of the museum. Flushing Meadows-Crotona Park the Gugg on the calendar to determine Real estate doldrums or not, the Corporation has come up with for the its landmark status for both the exterior developers have an edge in marketing long-moldering grounds of the 1964 New and the interior. The hearing is the tower, which comes with a health York World's Fair. "The Park of the 21st scheduled for December 12 .. .. The LPC club, parking, and two stories of retail Century" was put together by task force did turn down a request by architects space. But most important are the members Bernard Tschumi, Alan Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates for tower's amazing south and west views of Plattus (architect and urban planning extra windows in its corner pavilions in the water. As Peter Samton succinctly professor from Yale), Karen Alschuler the Plaza Hotel (October Oculus, p. 5) . puts it, "View counts." The project is (planner with SOM), William Alschuler scheduled for completion in 1992 . .. (engineering and program consultant), The Ties That Charles Platt and Paul Byard, a newly and Nicholas Quennell (landscape Bind formed partnership, have submitted a architect). The scheme, scheduled to be If you think Oculu s has mentioned I.M. scheme (with associate architects unveiled a couple of months ago, locates Pei or his firm too much in the last two Emery Roth & Sons) to the Landmarks the recreational activities in the middle months, then detour around Preservation Commission for 250 Water of the site and the greenery around the Bloomingdale's.