OCULUS on current new york architecture The New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects Volume 43, Number 3, December 1981 The Parker Meridien Hotel on West 57th Street offers a Sansovina-revived bit of Venice by Tom Lee Ltd. Photo, courtesy of Tom Lee Ltd. page2 Oculus OCULUS Chapter Reports The New Midtown Arcades Volume 43, Number 3, December 1981 by George Lewis Oculus South Street Seaport/"Telco" Building Editor: C. Ray Smith Across Front Street, just to the west Managing Editor: Marian Page of the Schermerhorn Block, a large Art Director: Abigail Sturges and bulky telephone building utilizing Typesetting: Susan Schechter air rights from the South Street The New York Chapter of Historic District had been approved the American Institute of Architects some years ago. Subsequently a new The Urban Center, 457 Madison A venue, developer gained Planning Commission New York, New York 10022 approval to proceed within the Telco 212-838-9670 envelope with a commercial building. In the process a low addition appeared George S. Lewis, Executive Director on the north, Fulton Street side. The chapter's special committee, Executive Committee 1981-82: Michael Parley chairman, wrote the Joseph Wasserman, President Arthur I. Rosenblatt, First Vice President Landmarks Commission, expressing Tician Papachristou, Vice President "dismay" at the bulk, questioning the With the cold weather upon us, the Robert Siegel, Vice President CPC approval process of the new through-block arcades in Terrance Williams, Secretary transformation to commercial, and midtown Manhattan will be getting Alan Schwartzman, Treasurer particularly objecting to the addition, their true testing. Among them, Park Frank Eliseo or "bustle," which would cut off the Avenue Plaza at the Fisher Brothers William Ellis view of Schermerhorn as one building (behind the Racquet Club) has Theodore Liebman approached down Fulton. The been recently completed, and Olympic Nancy A. Miao Stuart Pertz Landmarks Commission on November Place at Olympic Tower has been Mildred F. Schmertz 10 disapproved the "bustle" and the redesigned. materials on the building proper. At Park Avenue Plaza, the Natural NYC/AIA Staff Proposed Tower, Upper East Side Source restaurant may look like a Cathanne Piesla Carol Jones Historic District private press party because of its too­ Jeannette Manzo In a controversial decision attracting sparkling white tablecloths, but it is Eileen McGrath wide attention, the Landmarks now open to the public as a not-to-be­ Commission has denied by 6-5 vote on missed midtown eatery. The © 1981 The New York Chapter of the November 10 a Certificate of restaurant serves breakfast from 8 American Institute of Architects. Appropriateness for a slender, 245 am, and lunch and snacks until 7 pm foot tower close to the corner of 71st (sandwiches at around $5. 75, salads Street and Madison Avenue. The around $6.50, and entrees from $5. 75 tower, designed by Diana Agrest and to $10.50); dinner service and a wine Photo, this page, column 3: Mario Gandelsonas in association with license are expected shortly. At lunch, The Garnier-reduplicated lobby-passageway at Gruzen & Partners, was admired for the fountain encloses the open space the Helmsley-Palace Hote~ another confection the sensitivity of its design by with sound, muffles conversation, and by Sara Tomerlin Lee, additionally offers one of supporters and opponents alike, but gives calm and intimacy to the Manhattan's unique urban vistas-up the baroque stair to the gothic Lady Chapel of St. many of the latter objected because of luscious, greenhouse-like, seemingly Patrick's Cathedral. its location in the low-rise Frick block. sunny arcade. It is surely the best A special chapter committee, public amenity we have gotten so far confirmed by the Executive from the through-block-arcade legislation. Committee, voted to appro·ve the design, pointing out that it would Le Cafe Delices la Cote Basque at enrich the Historic District and be Olympic Place offers another midtown viewed as a Madison Avenue building, lunchspot. The atmosphere here is not an encroachment on the block. One busy and bustling, with a splashing, now wonders how the Commission will bumptious waterfall and layer-on- . deal with other applicants to come­ layer of wire lattice. Breakfast is how a felicitous evolution of the served from 8 until 11 am, lunch from District will be guided. 11 am until 9 pm (soups at $9. 75, salads from $4. 75 to $7.25, entrees from $5.25 St. Bart's, Cont. to $6. 75), and dinner until 10:90 pm. Alan Melting, chairman of the After al~ these enclosed arcades may Chapter's special committee, testified ultimately provide a balance, in our at a Community Board 5 hearing seasonal climate, to the previous cont'd. p. 8, col 9 generation's outdoor plazas. CRS!MP Oculus page3 On Olympic Place On Olympic Place and On Park Avenue Plaza Park Avenue Plaza by Jaquelin Robertson by Jim Morgan by Jonathan Morse ·Olympic Tower was, from the start, a It may surprise admirers of the new Oculus called the other day to ask for marriage of convenience-albeit a arcade restaurants at Olympic Tower my views on the "Galleria" in the forced one-coupling a clearly and Park Avenue Plaza-with their Fisher Brothers' building behind the perceived public policy about luxury crisp napery, gleaming tablewear, Racquet & Tennis Club. Delighted to retailing with more experimental flowers, and hovering waiters - to oblige, as I had been curious myself, I urban design ideas. learn that they are totally illegal. grabbed my faithful mentor and attorney, Alan J.B. Aronsohn, and off Simply put, the Fifth Avenue Special In both cases, when the proposed we went for what turned out to be a District was specifically created to designs were presented to Manhattan most pleasant lunch. The space itself stop a serious erosion of luxury retail Community Board 5, the food offered is very SOM, but with a lavish supply space along New York's most from the kiosks in the arcades of trees, water, light, and people. A prestigious shopping street. The new was limited to counter service. All gay, "Hello Mr. Morse," rang out as I legislation sought to reverse this tables and chairs were to be "areas mtered- not from a well-tipped trend by: 1) mandating selected where the public can relax and not feel maitre-d', but from Larry Fisher's ground floor retail uses (i.e. no banks, obligated to purchase food or other grandson, who was sitting in the airline offices, etc.); 2) eliminating set­ items." I am quoting from the City "cheap seats" with his construction backs in order to maintain a Planning Commission's own crew. Since our counselor is hardly a continuous shopping fyontage; 3) legislative report for Park Avenue "brown bag" type of person, we placing office entrances off the Plaza. In the case of Olympic Tower, proceeded to the "white table cloth" avenue; 4) creating mid-block covered when Jaque Robertson presented section. arcades as alternatives to open plazas plans to the Community Board for (these to have smaller retail outlets, redesign of the arcade a couple of Lunch, provided by The Natural restaurants, newsstands, etc. as well years ago, he assured us that an:t Source, a small but growing operation as serve as entrance foyers for offices). restaurant-style dining would be on with three other restaurants in New the level beneath the ground floor and York and Fire Island, was delightful. But the real hook lay in the incentives. that in the public arcade the kiosk Our attorney had a pasta al pesto, In order to encourage development of would offer its expensive pastries and and your correspondent had a more than the minimal mandated level espresso only at the counter. Park Mediterranean seafood salad that was of retail, a 20% bonus in floor space Avenue Plaza also promised that its so superior to what is served next was offered; this to be occupied by restaurant-style facilities would be door that thoughts of resignation luxury housing. elsewhere. flitted briefly through his mind. Missing his prandial glass of white The resulting 52-story mixed-use Thus the present arrangements, wine, he was assured that the wine Olympic Tower had an exquisite logic: however gracious they may appear to license was on its way. Prudence while it resulted in a bigger building, the uninformed eye, clearly abrogate dictated against sampling the its density at 21.6 FAR was less than a the terms of the incentive zoning desserts, but there was no reason to cont'd. p. 7, col 1 agreements made with the City. disbelieve our attractive and helpful cont'd. p. 7, coL 2 waiter when he pointed out that they Jaquelin Robertson of Eisenman-Robertson cont'd. p. 7, coL 3 proposed and prepared the special Fifth Avenue Zoning District under which Jim Morgan, architect, is a tireless and Jonathan Morse, architect, is president of Olympic Tower was originally conceived insightful campaigner for urban amenities the development firm, The Cowperwood and built, and was later involved with the as a member of Manhattan's Community Interests. He led the Racquet Club's fight interior design of Olympic Place as part of Board 5 and as an author. He teaches at against the Fisher Brothers building by the development team. Pratt. proposing the hotel over the Club. OCULUS NYC/ AIA DEC 81 CONTINUING EVENTS Oculus welcomes information for the P.B. WIGHT: ARCHITECT THE BEST LAID PLANS ... BEYOND TRADITION: 25th MANHATTAN ADDITIONS: TWO calendar pertaining to public events about CONTRACTOR, CRITIC 1838-1925 ALTERED NEW YORK BUILDINGS ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION APARTMENT BUILDINGS architecture and the other design National Academy of Design, 1083 Exhibition of blueprints, drawings, American Crafts Museum, 44 W.