Proposed design of Harry Potter-themed store in NYC creates controversy

The planned Harry Potter-themed “Wizarding World” experiential retail store in Manhattan’s Flatiron District may be dragon-less — at least on the exterior.

Warner Bros. Entertainment plans to open the store in a landmark building on the corner of Broadway and East 22nd St. The company will occupy about 20,000 sq. ft. in the building, which was built in the 1860s and formerly housed a Restoration Hardware store.

Design firm Studio Superette unveiled plans for the store at a community board meeting in New York on Tuesday. The design proposes adding a dragon made out of fiberglass, two backlit Harry Potter signs and six flagpoles designed to look like wands to the building’s facade, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The members of the community board's landmarks committee said the design ideas represent “inappropriate signage," according to the Journal, and voted unanimously to recommend against approval.

The full community board will vote on the proposal on Jan. 16. The recommendation will then be sent to the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission, which has the final say in the matter, according to the report.