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Testimony
of State Senator Liz Krueger Before
the Landmarks Preservation Commission Regarding
the Wilbraham, 1 West 30th Street May
18th, 2004 Good afternoon.
My name is Liz Krueger, and I am the State Senator for New York’s
twenty-sixth Senatorial District, one primarily comprising parts of Midtown
and Manhattan’s East Side. I would
like to thank the Landmarks Preservation Commission for affording me the
opportunity to speak at today’s proceeding. New York is a
city rich in history, and this wealth of heritage is never more evident than
when one admires the aesthetics of the City’s streetscape and built
environments. Truly, this is a
beautiful city with architectural character.
The Wilbraham is emblematic of this notable strength, a building that
stands as a monument from a time now past but still valued. The Wilbraham
was initially erected between 1888 and 1890.
Commissioned by the prominent jeweler William Moir, the building was
designed by New York-based architects David and John Jardine in the
Romanesque Revival style. This
architectural modality was popular between 1840 and 1900 around the world,
yet New York emerged as one of the cities in which the style was most
apparent. Originally, the Romanesque
Revival style was adopted by many churches, however by the latter half of the
nineteenth century, it had been adapted to serve the purposes of those
constructing all manner of buildings, including residences like the
Wilbraham. In fact, with
its large rounded arches above the doorways and smaller, rounded arches above
a plethora of the windows, the Wilbraham displays the defining characteristic
of the Romanesque Revival movement.
Additionally, the Wilbraham lends itself to preservation given its
prominent beltcourses and corbel tables—two other distinguishing traits of
the architectural style. Beyond the
Romanesque Revival staples, the Wilbraham possesses significance stemming
from the ornate and intricate masonry that generated still-engaging column
capitals integrated into the building’s façade. Before, I
referred to the Wilbraham as a monument; it truly is a landmark of its
era. As a paragon of the
architectural style in which it was created and as an agent of historical
continuity—the Wilbraham is both an emblem of midtown’s residential heritage
and an anchor for a neighborhood enhanced by churches of a similar design
style—the Wilbraham deserves recognition, and I urge the Commission to
designate the building as a landmark. Thank you for
the opportunity to speak today and for taking the time to listen.
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