Fredrick Becker testifies before the Board of Standards and Appeals. Image credit: BSA

Variance was opposed by local community board, neighborhood groups.  On July 14, 2015 the Board of Standards and Appeals voted to grant a variance to the applicant, Manhattan Country School, for enlarging its new building.  The school currently occupies a five-story townhouse on 7 East 96th Street in Manhattan’s Upper East Side and intends to relocate to a four-story building with three mezzanines on 150 West 85th Street in the Upper West Side.  The renovation would divide the subject building’s double-height interior spaces, create a cutout for an interior courtyard, expand the sixth floor, construct a penthouse, and extend the rear yard egress stair.

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Eric Palatnik testifies before the Board of Standards and Appeals. Image credit: BSA

Board found the applicant had a vested right to complete construction of the building as designed.  On June 2, 2015 the Board of Standards and Appeals voted to permit 250 Manhattan LLC to continue constructing a six-story mixed commercial and residential building at 250 Manhattan Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.  The building will contain eight dwelling units and commercial space totaling 7,613 square feet of floor area.

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Jeff Smilow testifies before the Board of Standards and Appeals. Image credit: BSA

Board granted the variance over community opposition.  On May 19, 2015 the Board of Standards and Appeals granted a variance to Bond Street Owner LLC for constructing a new thirteen-story hotel at 51-63 Bond Street in Downtown Brooklyn.  The development site is partially within a C6-1 zoning district and partially within an R6B district.  The Department of Buildings originally denied the permit on August 7, 2014 because the proposed hotel exceeded the maximum floor area ratio for the site.  On August 15, 2014 the applicant filed for a variance.

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Bernard Marson testifies before the Board of Standards and Appeals. Image credit: BSA

Board found complying with Multiple Dwellings Law prohibited full development of zoned area.  On May 19, 2015 the Board of Standards and Appeals voted to grant the applicant, BBD & D Inc, a permit to construct a penthouse at 237 East 72nd Street in the Upper East Side of Manhattan.  The penthouse unit will expand the current building from four stories in height to five.

On April 8, 2014 the Department of Buildings denied the applicant’s permit to construct the penthouse because the Multiple Dwellings Law prohibited increase in height or stories.  On May 5, 2014 the applicant requested a special permit from the Board.

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Frank St. Jacques testifies before the Board of Standards and Appeals. Image credit: BSA

Approval corrects an erroneously-granted permit in 2011.  On May 19, 2015 the Board of Standards and Appeals voted to grant a special permit to the applicant, 22-32 31st Street LLC, for expanding an existing Use Group 6 restaurant at 22-32 31st Street in Astoria, Queens, into an adjacent residential zoning district..  The restaurant sits on a lot that is partially zoned as C2-4A with the remainder zoned as R5B.  The permit is needed to allow outdoor accessory dining in the R5B portion.

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