Kramer Levin Client Wins Approval for Innovative Madison Avenue Addition

Kramer Levin Land Use client RFR Holding Company (“RFR”) received approval on October 13, 2009 from the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (“LPC”) for a widely discussed 4-story addition to 980 Madison Avenue, the former Parke-Bernet Galleries, designed by Pritzker Prize winning architect Lord Foster of Foster + Partners. The innovative design which is clad in glass with a bonze toned aluminum screen is the most visible addition for a privately owned building in an historic district to be approved by LPC in recent years. In addition to the landmarks approval, the proposed addition will also require a zoning text change.

Michael Sillerman of Kramer Levin’s Land Use Department represented RFR in obtaining the Landmarks approvals with the assistance of Special Counsel Valerie Campbell (Land Use) and Associate Elizabeth Larsen (Land Use).