Neighbors Unhappy With Proposed Eco-Building on East 62nd St.

The aftershocks of the explosion that destroyed 34 East 62nd St., which Dr. Nicholas Bartha blew up in a suicidal fit of pique directed at his former wife in 2006, continue to reverberate on the Upper East Side. The New York Times describes how neighbors are complaining to the Landmarks Preservation Commission that the proposed plans for its replacement fit neither the style nor the personality of the block. Instead of rebuilding the destroyed Victorian brownstone, the current property owner Janna Bullock and her architect Preston Phillips want to build a modern-style building. Because the property is within the Upper East Side Historic District, LPC approval is needed before any building can proceed.

Bullock's and Preston's plans for the home include four bedrooms, a conservatory, a spa, a waterfall, an indoor pool, a wine cave, and a geothermal heating system. The proposed building conforms to eco-friendly guidelines that include building materials that are not shipped more than 500 miles, which sent the architect to Ontario, Canada looking for limestone. That was just one of the things that upset the neighboring Links Club, which feels that limestone as a building material would be overbearing on the block. They also don't care for the modern design that includes setbacks and an overhanging ledge. The Upper East Side community board already voted in an advisory capacity 27-5 against approval of Bullock and Preston's building plan last month.

(Untitled image of vacant lot on East 62nd St., by Jen Chung at flickr)