Applicant explains stone step replacement at 426 W. Broadway; committee asks about accessibility

At a Community Board 2 Landmarks committee meeting, the applicant for 426 West Broadway described a proposal to remove a cementitious coating at the storefront entry and install a 3/4‑inch absolute black granite honed slab to match the neighboring storefront.

"This is not real stone. This is just like a cement," the presenter said while explaining the existing condition and the proposed replacement with natural stone. The applicant stated the work will remove the coating so new stone can meet under the door and confirmed other storefront signs required by the fire department would be reinstalled.

Committee members sought clarification about accessibility, asking whether the entry could be beveled internally to create a ramp or whether sidewalk modifications would be needed (the applicant said interior beveling still requires a 5‑foot by 5‑foot flat approach at the exterior door and that sidewalk changes would involve DOT). Members also confirmed that the two storefronts remain separate and that the applicant did not attempt to combine the adjoining retail spaces.

The committee indicated the black stone finish is acceptable as it unifies the pair of storefronts, and no formal objections were recorded during the presentation. The applicant said LPC had urged the team to survey local precedents, though the presenter could not confirm that each example shown had prior LPC approval.