Church sought approval for 35 market- rate residential units in East Harlem. BSA granted a variance to the Church of the Resurrection, permitting an eight-story residential building at 325 East 101st Street, in East Harlem, Manhattan. The new 47,984-square-foot building will be located on an 8,629-square-foot lot that currently contains a two-story church, which will be demolished. The new building will contain a church and elementary school on the first and second floors, and 35,552 sq.ft. of market-rate residential space constituting 35 dwelling units on the third through eighth floors.

Church of the Resurrection required variances for FAR, lot coverage, and rear yard size. After proposing two scenarios utilizing below-ground space to reduce FAR and building costs, Church of the Resurrection argued that as-of-right development would not allow a reasonable return due to incremental construction costs related to bedrock depth, poor soil and below-grade groundwater. Church of the Resurrection also noted that the development was smaller than neighboring ten-story, 200-unit residential buildings. (more…)

Spa obtained special permit despite Council member objection over use. On July 18, 2006, BSA granted a special permit to Spa World, allowing a 49,634-square-foot, three-story spa at 11-11 131st Street in College Point, Queens. The project site’s 30,124-square-foot lot was formerly vacant and is located in a manufacturing district that contains several residential and commercial uses. The three-story facility will provide sauna, skin, and massage treatments on the first floor; hot tubs, hot pools, saunas, and an outdoor spa on the second floor; and exercise equipment and a yoga/aerobics room on its top floor.

At the time of its application, Spa World had already begun construction of the building but required a special permit for the proposed use as a “physical culture or health establishment,” or PCE, under the zoning resolution. To qualify as a PCE, the primary use must be a gym or massage use; saunas, tubs and whirlpools are permitted only as incidental uses to the primary function of the building. (more…)

Mayor Adams’ Chief Counsel Brendan McGuire, Dean Anthony W. Crowell and Professor Ross Sandler speak at the 182nd CityLaw Breakfast. Image Credit: CityLaw.

Today, Friday November 4, 2022, Brendan McGuire, Chief Counsel to Mayor Eric Adams, spoke at the 182nd CityLaw Breakfast. Mr. McGuire spoke on “Meeting the Needs of Asylum Seekers and the Homeless Population in New York City.” Professor Ross Sandler, Director of the Center for New York City Law, provided opening remarks. Dean Anthony W. Crowell joined for a colloquy. This Breakfast was sponsored by ConEdison, Greenberg Traurig, and Verizon, and co-sponsored by the Wilf Impact Center for Public Interest Law. This was the sixteenth virtual CityLaw Breakfast as in-person events are not feasible at this time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (more…)

Kinko houses in the proposed Melrose Parkside Historic District. Image Credit: LPC.

The “Kinko” duplex houses are a unique product of Brooklyn featuring vertically stacked two-story apartments. On October 18, 2022, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a public hearing for the proposed Melrose Parkside Historic District in the Prospect Lefferts Gardens neighborhood in Brooklyn. The proposed historic district would consist of 38 houses along both sides of Parkside Avenue between Flatbush Avenue and Bedford Avenue. It includes the properties from 357 to 413 Parkside Avenue on the north side of the street and 290 to 386 Parkside Avenue on the south side of the street.  The houses were developed by William A.A. Brown and Eli H. Bishop & Son and designed by architects Benjamin Driesler and Axel S. Hedman. (more…)

Mayor Eric Adams. Photo Credit: facebook.com/NYCMayor

On September 15, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams announced that the Hunts Point Produce Market was selected for a $110 million U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant. This federal funding will be used to upgrade and improve the Produce Market’s facilities, strengthening critical freight movement and improving the environment, public health, and quality of life for the Hunts Point community. (more…)