It was the Landmarks Preservation Commission that did all the talking to Robert De Niro today.
After more than two years of haggling between the Oscar-winning actor and the commission, the panel finally approved redesign plans for the penthouse atop DeNiro’s Greenwich Hotel in TriBeCa.
The commission could have ordered the Oscar-winning actor to tear down his roof-top structure — which is nearly twice as large as the city agency originally wanted.
“I think it was great, and I’m very happy,” said De Niro after his architects presented new plans for the penthouse. “I’m glad that sensibility prevailed.”
The penthouse above the hotel irked landmarks officials more for its design than its size.
According to the redesign, gone will be the brass mansard roof that raised the penthouse’s profile, making it more visible from the street and less in character with the TriBeCa neighborhood of former manfacturing buildings that are almost entirely converted to residential.
Belgian architect Axel Vervoordt, who designed the project with architect Tatsuro Miki, said of the new design: “We wanted to make something that looked like it was there forever.”
The two architects said they will use only recycled materials found around the city to revamp the current structure for DeNiro — famed for his “Taxi Driver” line, “You talkin’ to me?”
“This has come a long way,” said Robert Tierney, chairman of the commission.
With the penthouse revised, Tierney called the hotel project “a terrific new building.”
The project, at 377 Greenwich St. at the corner of N. Moore Street, was overseen by the commission because it was built in the West TriBeCa historic district. The 88-room luxury hotel was built on a vacant lot but had to be in keeping with the district.
“This building has to speak for itself, and I think now this building is speaking a TriBeCa languange,” said commission member Diana Chapin.