Friars Club’s Possible Demise Threatens Industry, National Realty Club Tradition
By Jotham Sederstrom October 25, 2011 9:18 am
reprintsThe Club has only been at the Friars Club for two years. He added that many real estate owners are members of the Friars Club.
“Senior management kept us out of the loop about what was going on,” said Mr. Marsh. “So you can imagine our concern.”
The five-floor townhouse where real estate figures from Billy Macklowe to Darcy Stacom have helmed luncheons, is not only old and storied, it retains many of its original stained-glass windows, which were imported from Europe, and has many delicate fixtures, according to the lawyers.
Davidoff, Malito and Hutcher has retained an undisclosed engineering firm to study the structural viability of the English Renaissance-style townhouse. They will share data with the MTA, Mr. Davidoff said.
What’s the alternative to construction on the historic site? Anywhere else on the eastside that already has construction going on, said Mr. Davidoff. “They should consider those locations, and have much less impact on this thoroughfare,” he said of East 55th Street.
Meanwhile, the MTA said that the construction is not especially threatening to the building. “As we always do, in all of our large construction projects, we will closely monitor the building to ensure that it is not damaged,” said Aaron Donovan, a spokesperson for the MTA.—Guelda Voien
