Landmarks approves squash penthouse

The Down Town Association, Lower Manhattan’s oldest social club, recently won city approval to expand its headquarters at 60 Pine St.

The 151-year-old club plans to add three stories to its landmarked six-story building, including squash courts and bedrooms for members. The city Landmarks Preservation Commission unanimously approved the designs on April 13. Although the commission usually does not approve such large rooftop additions, the commissioners noted that in this case, the two adjacent buildings are much taller, so the addition will not be very visible, said Lisi de Bourbon, L.P.C. spokesperson.

Before approving the project, the L.P.C. required the Down Town Association to set the addition farther back along Cedar St., to make it as discrete as possible, de Bourbon said in an e-mail to Downtown Express. The commissioners also changed a portion of the roof, which the Down Town Association originally planned to be green-painted metal, imitating copper’s patina. Instead, the metal will be painted gray.

The L.P.C. did not require the Down Town Association to use real copper on the roof, as Community Board 1 requested in an advisory resolution last year. The social club said copper would have been too expensive.