§ 2-12 Storefronts, Awnings and Canopies.
RCNY § 2-12
(a)Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms have the following meanings: Awning. "Awning" means a metal frame clad with fabric attached above or within an opening, or within an integral housing, at a window, door, porch or storefront to provide protection from the weather. Back-of-house programming. "Back-of-house programming" means that part of a commercial or manufacturing establishment not intended for display, public use or viewing, such as food preparation, security, storage and/or employee areas. Bulkhead. "Bulkhead" means the part of the storefront that forms a base for one or more display windows. Canopy. "Canopy" means a metal frame clad with fabric that extends from a building entrance over the sidewalk to the curb, where it is supported on vertical posts. Display window. "Display window" means the large glazed portion of the storefront infill, and the associated framing, above the bulkhead and below the transom, extending pier to pier. The display window is typically used for the display of goods and to provide daylight and visibility into the commercial space. Facade. "Facade" means an entire exterior face of a building. See "primary facade" definition below. Fixed awning. "Fixed awning" means an awning with a non-retractable metal frame clad with fabric. Historic fabric. "Historic fabric" means a building's original or significant historic facade construction material or ornament, or fragments thereof. Historic Storefront. "Historic storefront" means the visual appearance of a storefront as originally built or at a point in time after it has undergone alterations or additions that enhance or contribute to the building's or site's special architectural, aesthetic, cultural or historic character. Landmarks Law. "Landmarks Law" refers to Section 3020 of the Charter and Chapter 3 of Title 25 of the Administrative Code of the City of New York. Lintel. "Lintel" means the horizontal member or element above a door, window or storefront opening. LPC staff. "LPC staff" means the staff of the Landmarks Preservation Commission acting in the Commission's agency capacity. Pier. "Pier" means an exterior vertical member(s) or element(s), usually of brick, stone or metal, placed at intervals along a wall that typically separates storefront openings within a single building or define a single storefront opening. Primary facade. "Primary facade" means a facade facing a street or a public thoroughfare that is not necessarily a municipally dedicated space, such as a mews or court. Residential awning. "Residential awning" means any awning on a residential building and any awning on a commercial or mixed-use building except for storefront awnings. Retractable awning. "Retractable awning" means an awning attached to a frame which allows it to be extended out or folded or rolled back tight against the building facade. Roll-down gate. "Roll-down gate" means a security gate with a retracting mechanism that allows it to roll up and down. Security gate. "Security gate" means a movable metal fixture installed in front of a storefront opening or bay, or inside the display window or door, to protect the store from theft or vandalism when the store is closed. Security gate housing (or housing). "Security gate housing," or "housing," means the container that houses the rolling mechanism of a roll-down security gate. Security gate tracks. "Security gate tracks" means the interior or exterior tracks along the sides or top and bottom of the storefront opening or bay that hold the edges of the roll-down gate. Serving window. "Serving window" means an operable storefront display window, or window assembly within a larger window or assembly, that allows direct commercial interaction between the public and the purveyor of goods or services. Significant feature. "Significant feature" means an exterior architectural component of a building that contributes to its special historic, cultural, and/or aesthetic character, or in the case of an historic district, that reinforces the special characteristics for which the historic district was designated. Skirt. "Skirt" means a bottom finishing piece of fabric that hangs from the lower edge of an awning. Storefront. "Storefront" means the first or second story area of the facade that provides access or natural illumination into a space used for retail or other commercial purposes. Storefront bay. "Storefront bay" means the area of a storefront defined by and spanning two piers. Storefront infill. "Storefront infill" means the framing, glazing and cladding contained within a storefront opening in the facade, including but not limited to display windows, bulkheads and entranceways. Storefront opening. "Storefront opening" means the area of the facade between the piers and lintel which contains storefront infill. Steps and platforms in front of, and leading up to, an entry door are not part of the storefront opening. Storefront surround. "Storefront surround" means decorative elements or treatment on the facade around the storefront opening. Transom. "Transom" means the glazed area above a display window or door separated from the display window or door by a horizontal framing member ("the transom bar"). The glazing in the transom may be fixed or operable. Terms not otherwise defined in these rules have the meanings given them in the Landmarks Law.
(b)General.
(1)Type of storefront work. This section sets forth criteria and other standards for proposals for new storefronts that are not re-creations or restorations of original or historic storefronts, which instead are addressed in 63 RCNY § 2-11(f).
(2)Related storefront work. Storefront work often involves other work that is covered by different sections of the Commission's rules. Specifically, applicants for new storefronts and storefront components may also want to consult the following rule sections for the applicable standards: (i) Signage. The design and installation of signage and lighting must meet the criteria set forth in 63 RCNY § 2-13.
(ii)Heating, venting and air-conditioning. The installation of heating, venting and air conditioning equipment and grilles must meet the criteria set forth in 63 RCNY § 2-21.
(iii)Restoration of storefront facade features. Restoration of storefronts and specific architectural features must meet the criteria set forth in 63 RCNY § 2-11(f).
(iv)Barrier-free access. Work to make storefronts accessible must meet the criteria set forth in 63 RCNY § 2-18.
(3)This section does not apply to: (i) Individual landmarks, except where specifically indicated.
(4)No permit is required for the following types of ordinary repair and routine maintenance work on awnings: (i) Seasonal removal and installation of Commission approved window awnings; (ii) Fabric patching in a matching material; (iii) Minor repairs or adjustments to the rolling or folding arm mechanism of an awning's frame; and (iv) Cleaning of awning material.
(c)Storefront Infill. LPC Staff will issue an approval for new storefront infill for existing storefront openings, including openings that have been infilled, for buildings in historic districts that were designed with storefronts, and buildings that were altered historically by the construction of ground floor storefronts, and at service entrances as provided in paragraph (7)(iii) of this subdivision, where no significant historic fabric exists, if the proposed work meets all of the relevant criteria set forth below: (1) Design. The design of the new infill matches the original or historic appearance determined pursuant to the requirements of 63 RCNY § 2-11(f)(1) or is based on historic storefront prototypes and details within the specific historic district and for buildings of similar age, type and style, except that storefront infill for a building that already has storefront infill approved pursuant to this section must match the previously approved storefront infill in terms of the location, design and materials of piers, the proportions of the elements of storefront infill and finish, but allowing for minor variations in detail and finish. If the building contains three or more uniform storefronts and at least one of the storefronts contains most of its historic elements, a new storefront must match the historic design pursuant to the requirements of 63 RCNY § 2-11(f)(1). Where the historical, architectural or cultural significance of the building or storefront is reflected in changes to the storefront after the initial construction, the new storefront may be required to match the historic appearance as represented by such changes pursuant to the requirements of 63 RCNY § 2-11(f)(1). In all cases the design may be modified to make the storefront meet accessibility requirements.
(i)Display windows must be fixed, except that the new infill may consist of operable doors and/or operable windows over a fixed bulkhead provided: (A) Operable doors feature bottom rails that match the height, and maintain the design intent, of storefront bulkheads required by subdivision (6) of this section; (B) Operable windows are installed over storefront bulkheads required by this section; (C) The infill includes either mullions, piers, fixed display windows, or a combination of these elements to avoid creating the appearance of a void at the base of the building when the storefront windows and doors are open; and (D) The width of individual operable doors or windows are as large as practicable, and when closed the operable doors or windows will read as display windows over a bulkhead and will maintain a sense of transparency at the base of the building. In the case of a serving window, such window is no larger than fifty (50) percent of the width of the storefront bay, and any mullion or other structural element necessary to accommodate the operable window must match the material and finish of, and be consistent with, the storefront framing; and (ii) Glazing in display windows and transoms must be clear, except that: (A) a reversible, gray-scale translucent treatment may be applied to the interior face of display window glazing, the lesser of forty-eight (48) inches above the sidewalk or half of the height of the display window, exclusive of transom windows; or to the interior face of a transom window where existing interior conditions preclude the installation of clear transom windows; or where a dropped ceiling or security roll-gate housing is installed in conformance with this subdivision; or (B) In cases where "back-of-house programming" cannot be located anywhere other than adjacent to a storefront window, and where if left visible to the public it would detract from the commercial establishment, building or streetscape, or could otherwise cause a security issue, staff may approve the application of a reversible grey-scale translucent film to fully or partially block one (1) or (2) display windows, subject to the following requirements: Staff may approve the application of grey scale to one (1) display window if the establishment has only two (2) display windows, and no more than two (2) display windows if the establishment has three (3) or more display windows. No grey scale may be approved if the establishment has only one (1) display window. In approving the installation of grey scale, the staff will consider the overall reduction of transparency of the storefront. The construction of any temporary partitions behind the approved greyscale film must be removed when the film is no longer needed for the commercial establishment that installed it. This subdivision shall also apply to individual landmarks.
(5)Orientation. New infill must be installed parallel to the building's sidewalk and/or consistent with the plane of the facade and the location of the historic infill, and must be set back from the face of the existing storefront surround the minimum dimension required to avoid concealing any significant architectural feature, including features previously concealed by existing storefront infill, but in no event less than four (4) inches from the face of the storefront surround, unless conditions indicate otherwise.
(6)Bulkhead. The bulkhead must be between eighteen (18) and thirty (30) inches in height, including a stone or masonry curb, unless the historic storefront prototype indicates a lower or higher bulkhead, in which case the bulkhead may match the height of the historic prototype, and must feature details or materials that recall the articulation of historic storefronts except: (i) Where the infill is based on a traditional example or model with paneled bulkheads, the bulkhead must feature panels and stiles, rails, and moldings that match historic prototypes; or (ii) Where a limited amount of existing non-original infill is being modified, the new bulkhead may match the existing.
(7)Entrance and Doors.
(8)Material. If the building was constructed prior to 1900, the material of the new infill must either match the historic material, if known, or be wood; for buildings constructed in or after 1900, or built before and altered in or after 1900 to include storefronts, the material of the new infill may be wood or metal or match the historic material.
(9)Finish. New storefront infill must have a finish that recalls the finish of historic storefronts.
(10)Interior Partitions and/or Built-In Features. Interior partitions, built-in features and vitrines built parallel to a display window must be a minimum of eighteen (18) inches behind the glass of the display window and: (i) Have a surface area that blocks no more than fifty (50) percent of the area of the display window (exclusive of the transom), not including dropped soffits; (ii) Have an interior quality finish and/or materials on the street facing side and feature non-illuminated, or indirectly illuminated display(s) of graphics or merchandise; (iii) Are limited to a first floor storefront, except a partition or built-in feature may also be allowed at second story storefronts of commercial buildings; (iv) Where such partition or built-in feature is a free-standing partition or vitrine within the display window below the transom, the horizontal dimension shall not block more than seventy-five (75) percent of the width of the display window; and (v) Dropped soffits at the ceiling may be no closer than twelve (12) inches to the glass of the display or transom window and may be dropped the minimum distance necessary to address the structural or other issues requiring such dropped soffit.
(vi)This subdivision shall also apply to individual landmarks.
(11)Piers. If original or historic piers have been previously removed, the design must include the restoration of the piers or the introduction of features that recall the location, size, and dimension of such piers.
(12)Removal of modern cladding. If an applicant is proposing to remove modern cladding on the storefront or the area surrounding the storefront, the applicant must first perform probes of the material to see if historic material or elements exist behind the modern cladding.
(13)Restoration of the original storefront opening. If the original storefront opening has been reduced or increased in size the design must include the restoration of the height and width of the original opening, except that: (i) The existing storefront opening may be maintained where the size and organization of storefront bays and entrances were altered in a way that is consistent with other buildings within the historic district that include storefronts, or (ii) Where interior conditions preclude restoration to the original height (e.g., later structural elements or existing interior roll-gate housing or mechanical systems) the existing storefront opening shall be enlarged or reduced to the greatest extent feasible, and: (A) The design of the surround is consistent with the materials and details of the historic base of the building; and (B) If necessary, given the size of the display windows, the design features an opaque glazed transom window.
(14)New door and door opening. A new door opening and door may be constructed to provide access to an existing storefront where: (i) The new door is on the same facade and in close proximity to an existing storefront display window; (ii) The new door opening will be installed in non-historic storefront infill or through plain brick; (iii) The width of the new door opening is the minimum necessary to provide for a door that meets accessibility requirements and, if needed, sidelight, and the height of the door opening is aligned with the height or the storefront or other storefront feature and does not call undue attention to itself; and (iv) The design of the new door is consistent with existing storefront doors or is consistent with the criteria for a replacement door.
(15)Security gates. LPC Staff may approve an application for roll-down security gates and grilles on proposed storefronts where: (i) The security gate is located behind the storefront infill and the gate is open mesh where it covers glazed areas; or (ii) If the roll-down security gate is mounted so that the gate rolls down on the exterior side of the display window and door: (A) The installation does not affect, obscure or damage historic fabric; (B) The housing for the roll-down security gates is installed so as not to protrude, or protrudes the least amount feasible, beyond the face of the storefront display window or transom, and it is finished to match the storefront framing; (C) The security gate tracks are recessed or set into reveals along the sides of the storefront; and (D) The security gate is open mesh where it covers glazed areas of the storefront.
(d)Awnings and Canopies at Commercial Storefronts and at Residential and Other Buildings.
(v)Awnings at occupiable terraces and architectural setbacks above the ground floor may extend over more than one opening, so long as the overall length of the awning is proportional to the size and length of the terrace or setback and the depth does not exceed the depth of the terrace or setback.
(vii)All awnings on a building or portions of a mixed use building that are not associated with storefronts must match in terms of fabric color and pattern if installed on primary or visible secondary facades.
(viii)Awnings will be clad only with water repellant canvas with a matte finish or other fabric of a similar appearance.
(ix)Awning fabric will consist of a solid color or vertical stripes that harmonize with the historic color palette of the building. No lettering or signage is permitted on awnings that are not associated with storefronts except for an address number on an awning over an entrance, and the numbers of such address must be no greater than six inches in height.
(xi)The awning will be clad only with canvas with a matte finish or other fabric of a similar appearance.
(x)Signs, such as lettering or graphics, are permitted to be painted on the awning skirt only; no lettering or graphics will be permitted on the sloped portion of the awning. The size of lettering will be proportional to the height of the awning skirt.
(xii)Awnings installed pursuant to approvals issued in connection with a Modification of Use or Bulk shall continue to comply with such approvals. Unless otherwise provided for in this section, awnings installed on Individual Landmarks and on storefront restorations approved by a restorative approval pursuant to 63 RCNY § 2-11(f) may be retractable or fixed, and if fixed: (A) Have a "lean-to" frame with no connecting part between the top bar and the side bar installed perpendicular to the facade; (B) The side bar perpendicular to the facade is round in shape; (C) The frame is finished with a clear-coat, or grey finish; and (D) Feature an unframed skirt.
