There’s an unusual event taking place today at the site of what was called the Minerva Building. The former Robert Scarano building is coming back as eleven four-story buildings and this morning at 11 there’s a “building mock-up” test to show that the new buildings at Seventh Avenue and 23rd Street won’t obstruct the view plane between Green-Wood Cemetery’s statue of Minerva and the Statue of Liberty. Per a press release: “The test involves use of a bucket truck that will lift workmen more than 40 feet in the air at the site of the planned condo construction. The workmen will then hoist a wooden frame to a precise measurement simulating the height of the building. Officials from Green-Wood Cemetery, on site at Battle Hill, will be able to immediately determine whether or not the new building will block the view of the Statue of Liberty.” The statue of Minerva dates to 1920 and commemorates the first Battle of the American Revolutionary War. Today’s Daily News notes that if the “stunt works” and shows the view will be protected, it will end three years of bitter controversy in the community. We last showed the Minerva site after this car was roasted there.
Minerva Getting Mocked Up Today
May 8th, 2008 · 5 Comments
Tags: Greenwood Heights
5 responses so far ↓
1 Anonymous // May 8, 2008 at 9:26 am
They will not prove anything with this test. How can a bucket crane represent a four sided stupid building? The view will be toast. This is very sad to me. The real results will be when the buildings are almost finished…
2 RadioHead // May 8, 2008 at 9:55 am
This wont be too annoying!
3 ccgh // May 8, 2008 at 10:10 am
Um, I’d have to disagree. 2 architectural firms and 2 survey companies have worked together on this one. The “corner” of the building on 23rd/7th was the demarcation line for what’s “block-able” and what’s not form a max base height from the street wall.
While I agree the true bulk of the building will only be know once the 11 townhouses are up, this will give a clear indication of the view corridor down 23rd St, which btw, is already compromised by the condo at 321 23rd St. (you can no longer see Redhook Basin, which is part of the original vista)
Let’s see what happens. I’m heading up to the hill in 30 mins.
4 ccgh // May 8, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Just back from the survey. Success. The parapet wall will give full views of the water and Liberty. The roof will have limited access. Win-Win.
Now do get that development going.
5 ccgh // May 8, 2008 at 2:22 pm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ccgh/sets/72157604953343965/