Bleecker Street retailer seeks five‑year extension to keep pink storefront and blade sign; neighbors and committee raise objections

The storefront operator at 247 Bleecker Street asked the Community Board 2 Landmarks Committee to permit a painted facade and a wood hanging sign to remain until the end of the applicant’s new lease term in June 2030. The applicant said the color and hanging sign are currently under temporary permits that expire May 17 and that she is seeking permission to retain them through her new five‑year lease.

“My name is Natalie Acopian, and I'm the founder of the women's clothing and accessory boutique, colorful Natalie,” the applicant told the committee, explaining she took the lease in 2024, improved the space after a prior tenant left it in poor condition, and selected the pink paint to attract foot traffic and reflect her brand.

Why it matters: The property sits in the Greenwich Village Historic District. Committee members said they are sympathetic to small business needs but must weigh the district’s preservation goals. Several committee members said the proposed long‑term retention of a brightly colored paint scheme that was initially installed under a temporary permit would set an undesirable precedent if extended to five years.

Committee concerns and discussion: Committee members described temporary permits as intended for time‑limited uses such as openings or promotions and said the bright pink proposed at 247 Bleecker is visually at odds with the block’s established palette. One member said the commission has not historically approved similar, highly saturated storefront colors in this part of the district and noted retroactive approvals are the exception rather than the rule. Several members also questioned whether the hanging blade sign meets required vertical clearance; the applicant said she had recently learned the required clearance is 10 feet and that the sign is currently mounted at 93 inches and that she would correct any nonconforming dimension or submit to applicable regulations.

Signs and conditions: Committee members indicated they were open to the blade sign and the band sign if they conform to regulations on clearance, size and mounting, and asked staff to record that any approval should be conditional on meeting code and LPC rules. The committee also asked for a physical paint mock‑up at a later LPC hearing so commissioners can judge actual color under natural light.

Public comment: No members of the public spoke in favor of extending the color; one committee member said she appreciated the applicant’s small‑business success but remained concerned about precedent and asked the applicant to provide a physical mock‑up at the LPC hearing.

Ending: The committee indicated reservations about approving a multi‑year extension of a temporary painted storefront that several members viewed as non‑contextual. Members requested that the applicant work with LPC staff on a revised presentation that includes a physical paint sample and confirmation that the hanging sign will meet clearance and permit requirements.