Landmarks Commission Rejects Second Cinema Site Plan

Although Brooklyn Heights Cinema owner Kenn Lowy spoke in favor of the proposal, The Brooklyn Paper reports that the Landmarks Preservation Commission has now rejected a second plan for a structure to replace the present Cinema building at 70 Henry Street that would have several floors of apartments and space for the Cinema on the ground floor. Landlord Tom Caruana’s first proposed design for the site was rejected by the LPC just under a year ago. The second design (rendering above) was submitted to the LPC earlier this year, but the Commission took no action on it in October. In explaining the decision not to approve the new design, the Brooklyn Paper story quotes Historic Districts Council member Esther Williams as saying it is not in character with the neighborhood, looking “more like a new TriBeCa or SoHo loft than a Brooklyn Heights building.” The story concludes by noting that no proposed design that does not largely preserve the existing building at the street level is likely to receive LPC approval.

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