Despite an appeal from the Manhattan Borough President, New York City's Landmarks Preservation Commission still will not give landmark preservation status to the building housing Rizzoli Bookstore on W. 57th Street in Manhattan, DNAinfo reported. In January, it became public that the owners plan to tear down the building and two neighboring buildings and most likely will build an office tower. Space above the bookstore houses Rizzoli's publishing operations as well as the U.S. offices of Quercus Books and Osprey Publishing.
In a letter to the Commission, Borough President Gale Brewer wrote: "West 57th Street is renowned for its architectural richness and diversity, and the Rizzoli Bookstore adds to this flavor… The addition of another individual landmark would firmly establish for the future Piano Row's place in New York City history, while the loss of this fabric for another tower will degrade what is so wonderful about West 57th Street."
The bookstore's space was originally designed as a showroom for the Sohmer Piano Company. The nearby site of Steinway's showroom has landmark preservation status.
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