There is an active lawsuit focused on reducing the massive expansion that will block significant architectural details of the beautiful john russell pope building
The Frick Collection is a world renown cultural gem in the Upper East Side of NYC. The community has many concerns about the Frick’s proposed expansion. The plan will demolish and erase the one-of-a-kind John Russell Pope Music Room. The plan also proposes to obstruct the architectural details of the Frick Art Reference Library as seen from Central Park and destroy the integrity of Frick as a house museum.
The renowned Music Room has for over eighty years served as New York City’s premier venue for chamber music concerts and recitals. The Music Room has hosted over a thousand performances, and hundreds of live concerts from WNYC. The proposed expansion plan unnecessarily results in the destruction of the Music Room despite several viable alternatives. The Music Room is regularly viewed by the public and sought for use by classical musicians, and is a central and irreplaceable element of the Frick Collection. The Music Room is a historic and cultural resource for the community. The demolition of this space will have an adverse effect on the public and the future of chamber music. The Music Room is a one-of-a-kind space where the public can experience chamber music as it was intended to be experienced. Demolishing this space erases one of the last venues for chamber music.
Despite the frick collection’s claims that they will fully restore the russell page garden, the current proposal will destroy and alter numerous elements of the garden. as several landscape historians have stated in their testimony to the landmarks preservation commission, the new library tower will encroach on the north side of the garden, making it impossible to preserve the garden’s north wall. this includes the south-facing cornices referenced by the landmarks preservation commission when the building was originally landmarked, and the iconic elevated tree plantings at the top of the wall. the redesign will also include the installation of large glass panels in place of the north wall’s existing windows, which deviates from page’s original design. the glass panels and increase in height of the surrounding walls will lead to changing patterns of sun and shadow that will further alter the garden’s aesthetics. the russell page garden is a world-renowned artistic and horticultural icon, and we must not allow the frick to move forward with a redevelopment that eliminates its signature architectural elements.
Building a new structure over the renowned music room is the equivalent of adding a seven story building to the house museum. additionally, the all-glass connecting passage between the library and the new structure is not consistent with both the existing landmarked architecture as well as the architecture of the proposed conservation building. we must protect and preserve the house museum’s historic elements and original architecture.
The proposed café will introduce a serious risk of rodent infestation in the adjacent russell page garden. we should learn from the metropolitan museum of art, which was forced to eliminate its garden adjacent to the new food service café after it became a rodent breeding ground. The proposed café, catering operation, auditorium, and education center are attempts to commercialize the house museum and create revenue by booking external events. we must not allow the desire to commercialize the frick collection to further threaten the iconic russell page garden.
Time is running out to stop the frick from moving forward with an irresponsible development plan. the board of standards and appeals will meet for its fourth hearing on Tuesday January 28th. email chair perlmutter and the bsa (submit@bsa.nyc.gov) to make your voice heard. we cannot let the frick collection become another commercialized museum in new york city.
We are a group of concerned neighbors, preservationists, and open space activists who stand for responsible development of New York City's historic Frick Collection.