Speed of Subway Trains Challenged

Subway trains at the Spring Street station twice struck passengers lying on the tracks on separate occasions. How fast should subway trains be moving when they enter a station? The faster the subway trains go, the more people the trains can carry and the quicker people will get to their destinations. Even a slowdown of a few seconds per train can slow the entire system. Speed is so important to the mission of the Transit … <Read More>


Contractor denied $2.5 million claim

Plumbing company claimed time extension due to delays. In May of 2012, the New York City School Construction Authority awarded BG National Plumbing & Heating Inc. a contract to perform accessibility and electrical upgrades for the New York City School Construction Authority. When it became evident that BG Plumbing could not meet the contractual deadline, BG Plumbing filed a notice of claim with the City alleging it was entitled to an extension because of certain … <Read More>


Construction Co. loses noise case

OATH Appeals Board overturns Hearing Officer’s earlier determination. On October 14, 2020, in front of 159 West 48th Street in Manhattan, an officer from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) detected unreasonable noise from steel street plates permeating from Triumph’s Construction site, an indication that the steel plates were installed improperly.  The officer measured the noise decibels emitting from the steel plates, confirmed it exceeded the mandated limit, and issued Triumph Construction a summons.


Assault Rifles and The Impact of New York State’s SAFE Act (REPRINTED FROM 2018)

***THIS ARTICLE ORIGINALLY RAN FOUR YEARS AGO IN CITYLAW*** The SAFE Act, the acronym for the Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act – New York State’s January, 2013 omnibus gun control law – provides an excellent opportunity to assess the potential impact of maximally politically feasible gun control, an exercise all the more relevant in the wake of the mass shooting in Las Vegas.  The SAFE Act did not have to be negotiated or compromised.  … <Read More>


Contractor liable for property damage

Contractor damaged neighboring building while excavating vacant lot in preparation for building parking garage. LIC Contracting, Inc. was hired by a company that owned a vacant lot located at 211-02 and 211-04 Northern Boulevard in Queens to construct a three-story commercial building with two-level underground parking on the premises. The project required that the lot be excavated to construct the parking structure.


Advertising sign claim denied

Building owner challenged loss of advertising rights. In 1998, Astoria Landing purchased an existing four-story apartment building located in a residential zone at 24-59 32nd Street in Astoria, Queens. The building’s previous owner had obtained a permit to display commercial advertisements and begun to display advertisements in the 1940s. In 1961, the City adopted new zoning rules which banned the display of advertisements in residential areas. In 1981, the Department of Buildings erroneously renewed the … <Read More>