Residents Fear Loss of Light After Learning of New Construction Project

A group of Upper West Siders–38, according to the Zoom meeting–attended a recent Community Board 7 meeting to voice their frustrations over a new construction project which, they claim, they didn’t receive ample notice about.

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The meeting took place on Thursday to discuss proposed alterations to 8 West 86th Street, a landmarked building owned by Bard College. Those who attended raised concerns about the proposal’s reported incomplete size dimensions, the impact on a historically residential neighborhood, and potential light blockage and noise issues.

“I’m a little surprised–I’m a lot surprised–that I had about four hours’ notice about this meeting,” said one attendee as the meeting was just getting underway. “We really think we need more time to study this,” he added. A Bard College representative claimed to have reached out to the neighborhood–in particular, residents of neighboring 251 Central Park West, 257 Central Park West and 10 West 86th Street–as they hosted an open house at the location on June 26.

Preservation Committee Co-Chair K. Karpen intervened to diffuse tensions, assuring attendees that all details of the project would be discussed during the presentation.

Susan Weber, director and founder of the Bard Graduate Center, began the presentation by describing it as a “proposed study collection building to serve Bard.” Having founded the Graduate Center 33 years ago, Weber shared that she lived on the Upper West Side most of her life. “I wanted to have the [graduate] center on the Upper West Side because I thought there was a need for more cultural institutions here,” said Weber. “The plan is to create a space dedicated to the study of decorative arts, design history, and material culture through research, advanced degrees, exhibitions, publications, and events.”

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The architect on the project, Susan T. Rodriguez, clarified that the building, built in 1907, is not intended to be a publicly accessible space “This is an internal building for Bard, where [students] will go to study and work together and create these great graduates who are going to be collection managers and curators, etc., throughout the country,” she said.

Rodriguez continued, explaining that once the renovation is complete, the building will feature a ground-level entrance leading to student exhibitions on two floors, an oversized collection of art in the rear yard, and an expansion for incoming collections at the lower level. Above, there will be two classrooms overlooking 86th Street and three research areas. Additionally, the reconfigured rear yard will be pulled in, and there will be a one-story addition, making it five stories.

“The roof will be a green roof,” said Rodriguez, emphasizing that it would provide a beautiful space while also concealing the service drive area alley in the back of the building. Discussions also included the removal of a tree on West 85th Street due to its trunk potentially affecting the building’s retaining wall. “So as far as we know, the owner intends to remove the tree,” Rodriguez said, noting uncertainty about its exact location on 85th Street.

Bard estimated that if approved, renovations would start in about a year and the project would take three years to complete.

Following the presentation, Anupam Ladha, who lives next door from the Bard building, but didn’t specify his address, expressed concern about the project.

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“I think everybody here knows that we’re a building with over 200 residents and 70 plus units. We’re just a few feet from 8 West 86,” he said. Ladha noted his building has 22 specific lines that abut Bard’s property, some of which are on higher floors and others on lower floors. “These units will be heavily impacted by this project. They are in the range of what will run from a fully obstructed view, from partial obstructed view to a significant reduction in light.” Ladha explained that the apartments have a Central Park West address but are facing the back and are highly reliant on natural light. The little natural light they do get will be attenuated and obstructed. He also expressed concerns about noise from the new mechanicals / HVAC once installed.

Ladha also asked why Bard’s mockups only included height, when past projects had to show length, width, height and depth as all these components impact potentially obstructed views.

Bard shared a slide showing building dimensions.

Other commenters questioned the white trim planned for the Bard building, claiming it wasn’t in line with the Upper West Side aesthetic, where buildings typically have black trim. A Bard representative said they would explore using black trim and mentioned that they’ve been in communication with the Landmarks Preservation Committee about their plans.

“I think at the next meeting, there will be 50 of us,” said one member of the public. “We have a lot of concerns.”

K. Karpen of the Preservation Committee shared the following statement with ILTUWS: “The Preservation Committee took a vote, focused solely on the issues within their purview. They discussed each element separately, considering its appropriateness to the character of the historical district. Their vote was in support of the project, 5-0-0-0.”

“Bard is a good neighbor, and that is key,” said Sean Khorsandi, executive director of Landmark West. “They are good stewards of their buildings, and this will be a hub for the arts. While we lament the loss of a few units of housing, this is serving the community and greater good.” Khorsandi also said he appreciated that Bard would look into the color of their building’s trim being white or black.

The Bard renovation is scheduled to be heard at the full board Community Board 7 meeting on September 7. Currently, no date has been set to present their plan to the Landmarks Preservation Committee.