Applicant seeks flagpole and banner at 115 Mercer; size and attachment draw public questions

Mary Derricks, the project preservation consultant, presented an application to install a fabric banner and flagpole at 115 Mercer Street in SoHo. The proposal described a dark-brown fabric banner with white lettering and a nine-foot projecting pole bolted into the façade. Derricks said the building dates to 1872 and that the proposed banner and pole would be consistent with other flags and brackets common in the neighborhood.

Committee members asked how the pole would be anchored. Derricks said installers planned to set bolts into mortar joints and to avoid decorative stone where possible; she said Landmarks staff typically requires anchors in mortar joints and the contractor would minimize the number of holes. A committee member pressed whether the attachment point had been determined; Derricks said the precise mortar location is typically confirmed during installation and that installers adapt to minimize damage.

Public comment focused on banner size and precedent. Commenter Pete Davies pointed to conflicting measurements in the applicant’s materials—Derricks acknowledged an error in the drawing and said the banner is 6 feet 10 inches by 6 feet 10 inches (approximately) rather than the smaller inner box shown on one sheet. Davies also noted an existing large banner on another nearby building that lacks a clear permit history; he asked the committee to require the applicant to show the intended attachment location before final approval. The committee and applicant discussed ensuring compliance with staff-level signage rules and minimizing façade damage.

No formal committee vote or decision appears in the transcript excerpt. The committee indicated the importance of anchoring into mortar joints and of confirming banner dimensions and attachment details before granting approval.