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Sunnyside Gardens residents protested moving the Aluminaire House to their historic district and won. The Landmarks Preservation Commission shot down the proposal and now its owners are looking for sites outside of the city.
Sunnyside Gardens residents insisted up and down that they would not welcome a futuristic metal home to their historic brick district.
They’ll no longer have to worry.
The owners of the Aluminaire House are now looking as far as Palm Springs, Calif., for a site for the pioneering steel-and-aluminum piece of modern architecture.
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The city Landmarks Preservation Commission shot down the application earlier this month to permit the house to move into Sunnyside Gardens after residents and officials refused to budge from their position that the building was out of character with the landmarked enclave.
“We’re disappointed,” said architect Michael Schwarting, who heads up the Aluminaire House Foundation. “It would be nice if it could stay in New York City.”
The city also denied a bid to erect eight condo units next door to the proposed site of the Aluminaire House on a former playground at 39th Ave. and 50th St.
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Courtesy of Aluminaire House Foundation
Sunnyside Gardens residents protested moving the Aluminaire House to their historic district and won. The Landmarks Preservation Commission shot down the proposal and now its owners are looking for sites outside of the city.
The property owners, Norcor, were going to allow the Aluminaire House to piggy-back on their condo proposal. Now, the whole idea is quashed.
Schwarting is now looking at six potential sites throughout the U.S. for the Aluminaire House.
The building, which is in storage in Long Island, was created for a 1931 architectural exhibit as an example of affordable housing.
“It’s an aesthetically beautiful example of modern architecture,” Schwarting said. “We’d like the house to be in the right place.”
Simeon Bankoff, the executive director of the Historic Districts Council, said it’s a shame that the Aluminaire House won’t be installed in the city. Still, he’s relieved it won’t be moving to Sunnyside Gardens.
“It’s a metal house in a brick neighborhood,” Bankoff said. “Putting it in a residential neighborhood just doesn’t make sense.”
Local leaders — who had come out en masse against the move — lauded the city’s decision.
“It has a place somewhere, just not there,” said state Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria.) “Hopefully, it can end up somewhere its artistic value can be appreciated — but not negatively impact the surrounding community.”
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