In 2008, the Landmarks Preservation Commission approved the plan for a four-story addition (rendering at right) atop 172 Duane, and the approval was extended in 2014. In May, when work was observed at the site, I asked the LPC whether a new design has been approved; I was told that an application for changes to the design was currently under review, the application would receive a public hearing (no date had been set), and the changes would also be presented to Community Board 1.

I don’t recall 172 Duane subsequently appearing on the agenda for CB1’s Landmarks Committee, so I was surprised when someone at November’s CB1 Landmarks mentioned, in relation to minor changes at 170 Duane next door, that “172 Duane was approved by Landmarks.”

While awaiting clarification from the LPC, I found two documents on its website. From the first, dated June 28, 2017, and signed off by chair Meenakshi Srinivasan:

The second document—dated September 21, 2017, and also signed off by Srinivasan—extends the approval and gives a sense of where the project stands (boldface mine):

The questions remain: Did the LPC unilaterally approve the changes? Does LPC have any visuals of the new design? And is there anything else regrading 172 Duane still in front of the LPC? I’ll keep trying to find out….

UPDATE 11/23: The LPC says that it can amend a Certificate of Appropriateness at staff level if the changes are consistent with the intent of the original approval. The LPC doesn’t have electronic versions of the drawings.

UPDATE 2/25/20: The original architect, Vincenzo Polsinelli, just came across this post recently. He wished to note that he is definitely not out of business and is practicing here in the U.S. He added, “I obtained the original Landmarks approval. Once the approval was granted, the owner decided to hire another architect. I have not been involved since 2009.”