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Roman and Williams’ Grama seeks sidewalk and roadway sheds on Mercer/Howard; neighbors and Broadway Residents Coalition raise emergency‑access and fire‑safety
Summary
The Grama/ Roman & Williams project proposed multiple sheds and sidewalk seating stretches on Mercer and Howard streets; committee members and the Broadway Residents Coalition pressed for clarified property surveys, narrower roadway structures to preserve emergency lanes and LPC approvals for equipment in the building‑front zone.
Represented by attorney Donald Bernstein and project representatives, the Grama application (Center for Goods LLC and Howard Fine LLC doing business as Grama) requested sidewalk and roadway seating at the Mercer/Howard corridor adjacent to Canal Street. Bernstein said the applicants had revised plans to eliminate some sidewalk seating on Howard Street, proposing instead a set of enclosed sheds and benches and to file DOT permits where roadway structures would extend beyond the property line.
Bernstein told the committee that building and deed line analyses produced some discrepancy between the recorded property line and the building façade: the property line and the building line do not match, producing a narrow private triangular sliver between the building and the property line in places. The applicant asked the committee for guidance: either remove the sidewalk portion pending a formal survey, or return on Thursday with exact deed/survey evidence. Committee members recommended the latter, asking the applicant to produce the deed or survey showing whether the proposed seating would sit on private property (in which case DOT permit would not be required) or the public sidewalk (which would trigger DOT review and additional constraints).
The Broadway Residents Coalition submitted comments raising two principal points: (1) roadway seating must preserve a 15‑foot emergency travel lane — the Coalition argued the proposed roadway structures intruded into that lane and narrowed travel, and (2) heaters, electrical hookups and other infrastructure may require LPC approvals or separate permits in this historic district. Committee members and residents also cited recent rooftop and building fires in SoHo to underscore that ladder truck reach and emergency access were not theoretical concerns.
The applicant agreed to remove the proposed Howard Street seating in the current iteration and to accept a 10 p.m. outdoor cutoff; the committee requested a property survey/deed and DOT referral if the seating was on public sidewalk. The item was continued pending the survey and any required DOT referrals.
