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Final MTA Mulry Square Vent Plant Designs Unveiled

The MTA's latest designs for the proposed emergency ventilation plant at Mulry Square

Last week, we took readers through the tumultuous history of the MTA’s attempts to design an aesthetically appropriate Emergency Ventilation Plant at Mulry Square, Greenwich Avenue and 7th Avenue South, in the heart of the Greenwich Village Historic District . The MTA presented their latest designs to Community Board 2’s Landmarks & Public Aesthetics Committee last night.

The latest design still involves a “floating” faux-historic facade over a concrete plant, but the height of the facade has been dropped to reveal the concrete plant behind it. The windows also now have glass, which was left out of prior designs.

In addition, the MTA is proposing to embed the Tiles for America and some chain link fence into the eye-level concrete band around the base of the building.

Timed lights will illuminate the tiles at night.

GVSHP has long been a critic of the MTA’s design, and has urged them to hire an outside design firm and to consider options such as other locations or placing the plant underground, as they have in some cases.  We have also urged the MTA to look towards other successful models of similar structures they have created in the past in our neighborhood, such as the MTA Substation at Greenwich Avenue and 13th Street (see images and info).  Thus far, however, the MTA has stubbornly refused.

MTA Substation at Greenwich Avenue and 13th Street (image courtesy Google)

The Landmarks Preservation Commission will issue an advisory report on this newest design at a public hearing next Tuesday, June 7th (UPDATE as of June 3rd: The LPC hearing on this application has been postponed to a date TBD. Be sure to visit our Landmarks Applications Webpage for the most up-to-date information). The public is welcome to attend and to speak at this hearing, so we encourage you to let your opinions be heard! For more information on the hearing and other ways to get involved, and to see additional renderings of the proposed design, visit our Landmarks Applications Webpage and click on 61 Greenwich Avenue.

 

4 responses to “Final MTA Mulry Square Vent Plant Designs Unveiled

  1. The proposed designs are very nice for the street. Other projects or units that would be worth looking up are located at Townhouse Therapy where there are some marvelous brownstones located all over the NYC area.

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