161-15 Rockaway Boulevard. Image Credit: Google Maps
DOB inspector found blockage on stairwell leading to street exit. On December 3, 2019, a Department of Buildings inspector visited a construction site in an office building located at 161-15 Rockaway Boulevard in Queens. Upon examination of the second-floor jobsite, the inspector found that the landing separating the two flights of an exit stairwell was being partially blocked by large plastic containers designed to hold construction materials and refuse. The stairwell in question led to a door with an all-caps exit sign. The door led out to 145th Road, a roadway just off the Belt Parkway. Unable to find anyone at the worksite, the inspector posted a summons on the front door of the building. (read more…)
280 Mulberry Street. Image Credit: Google Maps.
Tenant advertised apartment for transit use on Airbnb; building owner charged. On May 2, 2019, Building Inspector Botticelli, in response to a complaint, visited 280 Mulberry Street, Manhattan, owned and operated by 280 Mulberry Realty, LLC. Inspector Botticelli was given access to apartment 2E by four guests from France staying there who had gained access to the apartment by making a reservation on Airbnb.com from April 26 – May 6, 2019. The tenant of apartment 2E, Alex, had listed the apartment with Airbnb but was not present. Inspector Botticelli, in a test after his visit, made a reservation of his own from May 29th – 30th, 2019. Based on the information, Inspector Botticelli served summonses against 280 Mulberry Realty, charging the illegal conversion of apartment 2E from a permanent residence into a multi-purpose dwelling unit, and for various additional safety violations. (read more…)
13-15 Christopher Street. Image Credit: Google Maps
Tenant used property as an illegal short-term rental. On April 12, 2019, the owner purchased a single-family dwelling with a rear building at 13-15 Christopher Street in the West Village in Manhattan. The tenant had been advertising the property on Homeaway.com, a vacation rental website owned by the Expedia Group. At the time of the purchase, the owner claimed not to have knowledge of the illegal transient use. On May 10, 2019, Buildings issued a transient use summons against the owner for the front building—a different building at the same address. Subsequently on July 3, 2019, a Department of Buildings officer observed that the owner’s rear building was occupied by six short-term guests. The officer issued four summonses to the owner charging an Aggravated I penalty for a recurring condition. (read more…)
On April 9, 2021, Kathryn S. Wylde, President & CEO of the Partnership for New York City, spoke at the 172nd CityLaw Breakfast. Ms. Wylde spoke on “New York’s Post-Pandemic Prospects.” Professor Ross Sandler, Director of the Center for New York City Law provided opening remarks and Dean Anthony W. Crowell provided closing remarks. This Breakfast was sponsored by ConEdison, Greenberg Traurig, and Verizon. This was the sixth virtual CityLaw Breakfast as in-person events are not feasible at this time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (read more…)
Image Credit: NYC DOT
One year ago, in January 2020, the Expert Panel assigned by Mayor Bill de Blasio to study the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway issued its Final Report. Mayor de Blasio in 2019 appointed the seventeen-person Expert Panel* of which I was a member, following the angry rejection of New York City DOT’s plan for reconstructing the section of the BQE adjacent to Brooklyn Heights, Dumbo and Downtown Brooklyn. City DOT presented its plan publicly September 2019. The plan caused immediate outrage. (read more…)
