Historic Soho Building Seeks Green Light to Restart Construction, Halted by 2020 Pandemic

• The Landmarks Preservation Commission will review plans to restart and modify a long-stalled renovation at 151 Grand Street in Soho.
• The project includes restoring the historic five-story building and completing a previously approved rooftop addition.
• Construction began in 2019 but halted in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving portions of the rooftop structure unfinished.

What Is Planned for 151 Grand Street

A proposal to revive the renovation and expansion of 151 Grand Street is heading back to the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. The property sits at the southwest corner of Grand Street and Lafayette Street in Soho and has been partially under construction for several years. The project team, led by Ole Sondresen, architect and preservation consultant Higgins Quasebarth & Partners, is seeking approval to complete and modify work that was originally approved by the LPC in 2016 and 2017. The plan calls for rehabilitating the existing five-story building while finishing a one-story rooftop addition that was partially constructed before work stopped.

What Construction Has Already Been Completed

The original approvals allowed for a setback rooftop addition, rear-yard expansion, façade restoration, storefront improvements, accessibility upgrades, new wood windows, additional window openings, and sidewalk repairs. Construction officially began in April 2019, and significant progress was made before the project was suspended in March 2020 due to the pandemic. Steel framing for the rooftop addition was installed, and substantial interior work was completed. However, the project's Certificate of Appropriateness expired in August 2022, requiring the development team to return to the LPC for new approvals before work can continue.

What the Updated Design Includes

The revised proposal largely builds upon the previously approved design while accounting for the building's current partially completed condition. Renderings show the historic façade being restored with brick and stone detailing preserved and green metal architectural elements repainted black. The rooftop addition is designed to remain minimally visible from street level, helping maintain the historic character of the surrounding Soho district. The eastern portion of the addition will feature floor-to-ceiling glass, while gray brick will wrap portions of the new rooftop level above the western extension. Existing construction includes portions of the rooftop framing and stair structure, both of which are reflected in the updated plans under review.

What Happens Next for the Project

The Landmarks Preservation Commission is scheduled to review the proposal on June 23. Approval would allow the development team to resume construction and complete a project that has remained unfinished for more than six years. Given the property's location within the Soho historic district, LPC approval is a critical step before construction can move forward. If approved, the project would bring a long-vacant construction site closer to completion while preserving and modernizing one of the neighborhood's historic commercial buildings.