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LPC approves replacement of solarium at 21 East 70th Street on Upper East Side
Summary
The commission approved a straightforward replacement of an existing modern solarium on the Fourteenth Floor of a 1920s apartment building at 21 East 70th Street; commissioners noted the new rectilinear enclosure is consistent with prior approvals for similar terrace enclosures.
The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Jan. 28 approved a replacement solarium on the Fourteenth Floor of the Schwartz & Gross–designed apartment building at 21 East 70th Street in the Upper East Side Historic District.
The applicant sought a certificate of appropriateness to remove an existing modern sloped or irregular greenhouse and install a new rectilinear, aluminum‑framed and glazed solarium with a modest parapet. The proposed enclosure uses an aluminum exterior finish matched to the building’s painted window frames and a wood‑clad interior as requested by the owner.
Consulting architect Andrew Parachio and project architect Michael Lish told commissioners the new solarium would occupy the same footprint as the existing structure and would be seen only at a distance from public ways. The team cited earlier LPC approvals of similar rectilinear solaria in the district and said the new enclosure will be scaled to the terrace and read as a modern, simple glass enclosure rather than a permanent masonry addition.
Friends of the Upper East Side testified that the group did not object to the replacement but requested the applicant reconsider the parapet thickness so the enclosure does not read as overly heavy or permanent when viewed from Madison Avenue. Commissioners agreed the new solarium was a modest, acceptable replacement and noted many comparable enclosures had been approved previously. The LPC motion found the work would not damage significant historic fabric, would be well scaled to the terrace and would not detract from the district.
The LPC approved the application by recorded vote (7‑0) at the meeting.
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Provenance: Presentation and plans from the applicant, public testimony from Friends of the Upper East Side, staff report and LPC roll‑call recorded approval during the Jan. 28 public meeting.
