Board grants transparency variance for Unity House teaching kitchen
Summary
Unity House received approval to reduce the ground-floor transparency requirement from 50% to roughly 21% for a new teaching kitchen after the architect cited structural bracing needs and a narrow façade section.
Architecture Plus representative Greg O'Connor presented plans for a Unity House teaching kitchen and asked for relief from the city's 50% ground-floor transparency standard for nonresidential uses. O'Connor said demolition revealed the existing building was beyond salvage and that structural bracing needs make it impractical to meet the 50% glazing requirement on a narrow, 18-foot section. He proposed roughly 21% transparency—two windows and a door—while preserving necessary structural elements and creating a wheelchair-accessible recessed entry.
Board members treated the project as a SEQR type 2 matter and, after asking questions about window sizing and the recessed turning radius for accessibility, voted to approve the variance. Members cited the project's functional needs and structural constraints in their motion and found no adverse impact to neighborhood character.
O'Connor said the design team will proceed with the revised elevation and work through building permit and accessibility details during subsequent reviews.
