Owner/developers Deco Tower Associates, LLC and Resolution Real Estate Partners are underway with redevelopment of the McGraw Hill Building at 328 W 42^nd Street (Raymond Hood, and Godley & Fouilhoux, 1931). In a change from previous plans, the project now includes converting the upper floors to market rate residential use and retaining the base floors as commercial use. The McGraw Hill Building is a New York City Landmark. A large scope of work affecting the exterior of the building was approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) early in 2022.

Given the change of use, the owners went back to LPC requesting approval for alterations related to converting the original building entrance to the residential tower entrance and adding a secondary entrance for the commercial floors. DOCOMOMO US/New York Tri-State submitted written testimony to the LPC for their February 14 public hearing, commending the building ownership and project team for their proposal to recreate the original “McGraw Hill” signage at the main 42nd Street entrance, while arguing that two proposed alterations were inappropriate. One being the addition of a marquee with 11 ft projection over the entrance and the other increasing the height of the entry doors from the original 7 ft, to 9 ft. (an increase to 8 ft. 2 in. was previously approved by LPC).

The commissioners voted unanimously to approve the requested changes with the exception of the non-original entrance marquee, which was deemed inconsistent with Hood’s design vision and not essential.

Review the full proposal as submitted to LPC:
https://www.nyc.gov/assets/lpc/downloads/pdf/presentation-materials/20230214/330-West-42nd-Street.pdf

Read DOCOMOMO/US New York Tri-State testimony letter

For an in-depth look at the McGraw Hill Building project: “A plan for McGraw-Hill building to go partially residential prompts calls for its original lobby design to be brought back,” The Architect’s Newspaper, February 16, 2023.