Psychic business ruled an accessory use

Fortune teller advertised psychic consulting business with large neon sign and awning over her first-floor apartment window. Louis and Laura Wanko leased a first-floor apartment at 333 East 52nd Street in an Upper East Side neighborhood zoned for residential uses – an R813 district. A month after moving in, Louis installed several signs without permits, announcing his wife’s fortune telling business. A neon sign, three-feet tall by two-feet wide, reading “Laura’s Psychic Vision” was bolted … <Read More>


Buildings Announces Return and Expansion of Summer No-Penalty Inspection Program

Buildings has conducted thousands of inspections since the program’s launch in 2005. On June 21, 2023, the Department of Buildings announced the return of the No-Penalty Inspection Program, which offers property owners the opportunity for a free, no-penalty visual inspection of certain parts of their property. The program encourages property owners to take proactive steps in ensuring their property is safe. 



DOB Issues Advice After Historic Flooding from Ida

New Yorkers should be on the lookout for mold and structural damage, and take caution. On September 2, 2021, the Department of Buildings advised New Yorkers on actions to take after the remains of Hurricane Ida brought record-breaking rains and flash flooding across the city. Heavy flooding can result in structural damage, undermining, hazardous mold, and the deterioration of building electrical and gas plumbing systems.


DOB Announces New Energy Efficiency Ratings Posting Requirements

Buildings will be graded on a scale of A to F. On September 8, 2020, the Department of Buildings announced that starting on October 30, 2020, all NYC Buildings 25,000 square feet or larger will be legally required to post energy efficiency letter grade signs at their entrances. Similar to restaurant health grade signs, these energy efficiency signs will create greater transparency for the public about how each building operates.


Large Bruckner Boulevard Sign Rejected

OTR Media sought to legalize an 11,297-square-foot billboard visible from the Bruckner Expressway. On January 14, 2013, the Department of Buildings issued a Sign Registration Rejection letter denying registration for a sign leased by OTR Media Group. The 79- by 143-foot sign, constructed in 1962, was located at 330 Bruckner Boulevard in the Bronx—35 feet from and within view of the Bruckner Expressway. Buildings based its rejection on a seven-year gap from 1981 to 1988 … <Read More>