BSA Grants Variance for Transfer of Development Rights to Facilitate Merging of Property

The transferring property was granted a variance 35 years ago, but the value of the development rights has since sky-rocketed. On March 8, 2016, the Board of Standards and Appeals unanimously voted to grant Charlton Cooperative Corporation’s request for a variance to transfer unused development rights from the applicant’s property, located at 112 Charlton Street, to an adjacent property, located at 108 Charlton Street, in Manhattan’s Special Hudson Square District. Because the site … <Read More>


Appellate Division Overturns BSA Denial of Sign Registration

The Board of Standards and Appeals had denied the application based on its finding that the signage was an art installation rather than an “advertising sign,” as defined in the Zoning Resolution. Local Law 31 of 2005 amends the regulations governing the usage of outdoor advertising signs by requiring companies engaged in outdoor advertising to submit to the Department of Buildings an exhaustive list of all of the companies’ “signs, sign structures and sign locations” … <Read More>


BSA Conditionally Approves Enlargement of Religious School

The variance permits the construction of a new floor to accommodate the School’s programmatic needs. On March 22, 2016, the Board of Standards and Appeals conditionally approved a variance to construct an additional floor onto the Bais Yaakov D’ Chasidei Gur religious school, located at 1975 51st Street in the Borough Park neighborhood of Brooklyn. The four-story building will be expanded into a five-story building to accommodate the School’s existing students and anticipated increase in … <Read More>


BSA Conditionally Approves Proposed Redevelop of Landmarked Theatre into Mixed-Use Residential and Commercial Building

The proposed redevelopment plan has been approved by Landmarks and has been modified slightly to comply with federal regulations, due to the site’s close proximity to LaGuardia Airport. On October 27, 2015, the Board of Standards and Appeals approved with conditions a request by Flushing Square, LLC., for a special permit to re-develop the RKO Keith’s Theatre, located at 135-35 Northern Boulevard in the downtown Flushing neighborhood of Queens, into a 16-story mixed use commercial … <Read More>


BSA Conditionally Approves Variance for Addition of Gymnasium and Play Roof to The Chapin School

In response to neighborhood concerns, the Board conditioned the zoning variance on several limitations meant to reduce the risk of excess noise and increase pedestrian safety. On October 16, 2016, the Board of Standards and Appeals approved with conditions a request by The Chapin School, Ltd. for a zoning variance to construct a three-story addition to its existing school, located at 100 East End Avenue on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.  The Chapin School, … <Read More>


BSA Approves Building Expansion For Dance Performance School

The additions to the building will provide more classrooms and general support space. On August 25, 2015, the Board of Standards and Appeals voted to grant a request by Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation for a variance to expand its existing building located at 405 West 55th Street in the Preservation Area of Manhattan’s Clinton Preservation Area. The expansion will add 10,000 square feet to the existing building for use as four dance studios, two classrooms, … <Read More>