August 13, 2020

Revised BKSK design approved for eight-story office building in the Gansevoort historic district

Congratulations to the BKSK Architects team on another approval by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. At the corner of 14th Street and 9th Avenue in the Meat Packing District we proposed a substantial restoration and preservation of two existing historic buildings and a new infill addition. The new infill building compliments the historic buildings surrounding it in scale and materiality with an exterior terra-cotta frame and brick side walls. The historic buildings will continue to be used as retail space at the ground floor and converted into new office space on the upper floors. The new infill building will house commercial office space with a setback terrace and a roof deck for the use of all tenants. The infill is a distinct contemporary but contextual volume and with the historic buildings, reflects the “cross currents of the urban context and the history and the character of the site and the district.” The juxtaposition of old and new, historic and contemporary is considered on the interior as well on the exterior and new tenants will enjoy this juxtaposition in distinctive and modern working spaces.

Among numerous positive comments, Commission Bland’s feedback included:

“I want to thank the applicants for a thorough and elegant presentation. Also I want to just put this presentation in context…. I believe…the application consists of the most number of moving parts that our commission deals with. It is an extraordinary and relatively small application, but it is incredibly comprehensive . . . it’s very strong architecture and beautifully rendered and I think it’s a very, very elegant building.”

As seen in Architects Newspaper

Watch the Landmarks presentation. Our portion begins at 1:20:00.