
The National Institute for Occupational Safety Health (NIOSH) has a database for the noise level of power tools like these so builders can buy quiet tools. Image Credit: CDC/NIOSH
City amended rules to mitigate noise from interior renovation. On October 18, 2018, New York City Department of Environmental Protection rolled out a new initiative to mitigate the noise caused by interior renovation. (more…)
Jumaane Williams, with a strong background as a community organizer, was elected to the City Council in 2009 to represent the 45th Council District which covers the Flatbush, East Flatbush, Flatlands, and parts of Midwood and Canarsie neighborhoods of Brooklyn. In his work prior to and as a City Council Member, Jumaane Williams has displayed a passion for community issues like combating gun violence, youth development, tenant advocacy and affordable housing. He plans to run to replace Melissa Mark-Viverito as Speaker of the City Council at the end of her term, and if successful, he would be the first Council Speaker from Brooklyn since the passage of the 1989 Charter. (more…)

Crane over 608 W 40th Street. Image Credit: Google Maps.
Crane engineer failed to follow procedure for securing cranes during high winds. Matheau Chaudanson was a supervising engineer at a construction site located at 608 West 40th Street, Manhattan. One of Chaudanson’s responsibilities was to monitor wind speeds and direct the out-of-service configuration of crawler cranes in order to ensure safety. Chaudanson, in anticipation of wind speeds of 60 miles per hour, participated in a meeting to discuss crawler crane configurations on February 25, 2019. (more…)

36 West 66th Street. Image Credit: Google Maps.
NOTE: This article was written for and previously appeared in an issue of CityLaw earlier this year, and was chosen for publication to CityLand prior to the issuance of a recent appeal decision that has now overturned this case. Please wait for future coverage of this issue.
Developer received permit to build record-setting skyscraper on the West Side of Manhattan. In November 2017, Extell Development Company unveiled plans to build a massive residential tower for luxury condominiums at 36 West 66th Street. The building, if completed at 775 feet tall, would be the tallest on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Extell applied for and received a permit from the Department of Buildings after making slight modifications to the structural design in order to accommodate, primarily, fire safety concerns. (more…)

Image from the second mayoral debate featuring several of the mayoral candidates. Image Credit: WABC-TV
The Mayoral Election will help shape the City’s land use and housing policymaking decisions. Between now and June 20th, early voting is available for the NYC Primary, in which New Yorkers will help decide who will be the next Mayor of New York City. Over the course of their campaigns, mayoral candidates have developed and shared their positions on a variety of land use and housing issues including developing affordable housing, handling the eviction and homelessness crisis, revising land use review processes, how to develop underutilized space, NYCHA, and building inspections. (more…)