By Jeff Wilkins

The architects behind the proposed renovation and construction surrounding St. Vincent’s Hospital in Greenwich Village better head back to the drawing board if they hope to gain’s the city’s approval, warned the Landmarks Preservation Commission today.

Voicing their opinions about the massive construction project during a public hearing at the LPC’s headquarters, committee members stood united against the proposed demolition of certain historical buildings on the hospital’s campus.

“The buildings we are being asked to consider for demolition are in a historic district,” said Commissioner Margery Perlmutter. “We should not have to fight for the life of a building in a historic district.”

The Rudin family, the private developer that purchased St. Vincent’s after it filed for bankruptcy in 2005, proposed constructing residential housing on the site of an existing medical office building on West 11^th Street..  The 12-story structure, known as the Spellman building, would need to be completely demolished to make room for the new condos.

“Spellman is the biggest anomaly in this historic district,” said Shelly Friedman, a representative of the Rudin family.  “It doesn’t match architecturally with the rest of the area and should be okay to remove.”

Members of the LPC were quick to defend the historical merits of the 140-foot tall building that towers over the rest of the campus.

“The Spellman building reinforces the special qualities of this historic district,” argued Commissioner Stephen Byrnes. “Its ornamental front door crowned by a cross is an important reminder that the most important Catholic hospital in
New York City has been here for over 150 years.”

Developers also want to remove nine other buildings in the area they argue do not fit with the rich architectural history of Greenwich Village.  Committee members argued the buildings would be better suited for renovations than full-scale demolition.

“This is not a discussion about what should be, but what authentically exists and reflects the history of an area,” said Commissioner Roberta Gratz. “To suggest destroying the real streetscape diversity to build an interpretation of what should have been is, at best, an architectural conceit.”

At the meeting’s conclusion, Committee Chairman Robert Tierney suggested developers rethink their proposal before submitting it for the LPC’s approval.