Gramercy Park SRO used as Hotel Ruled Unlawful

Owner of eight-story building had been used as a hotel since the 1950’s. An eight-story building located at 225 E 17th Street in Manhattan, was operated as a transient hotel with 155 rooms. Buildings charged that the hotel use was in violation of the building’s certificate of occupancy which specified single room occupancy with 163 single rooms and one community kitchen.  Buildings relied on the certificate of occupancy issued on August 16, 1968.


Illegal Conversion Legislation Considered [UPDATE: City Council Passes Bill]

UPDATE: On May 10, 2017, the City Council voted 49-0 approve the new legislation. The new law, sponsored by Council Members Vincent Gentile and Jumaane Williams, increases the minimum civil penalty for immediate hazardous illegal conversions to $15,000 fine for each dwelling unit beyond the number that are legally authorized. The legislation was proposed after a two-alarm fire in an illegally converted unit in East Flatbush, Brooklyn killed one person, injured five more, and … <Read More>


Planning Commission Approves Retail Use in Canal Street Ground Floor

The City Planning Commission approved the conversion of a Canal Street ground floor into retail use. On April 26, 2017, the City Planning Commission issued a favorable report on an application from Canal Associates, LP, a subsidiary of United American Land, owner of 361 Canal Street in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood. The application sought a special permit to exempt the location from certain requirements of Section 42-14D(2)(b) of the Zoning Resolution to allow for the conversion … <Read More>


Owner Fined $1200 for SRO Use

Owner leased space to non-profit providing services under contract with the State Department of Mental Health. The current certificate of occupancy for a three story building located at 101-36 104th St., Queens, provided for three residential units, one per floor. The owner of the building leased the third floor to Promoting Specialized Care and Health, a non-profit. The non-profit, under contract with the New York State Department of Mental Health, provides assistance to individuals with … <Read More>


New Affordable Housing in East Harlem [UPDATE: City Council Approves Application]

UPDATE: On November 29, 2016, the City Council voted 49-0 to approve the Lexington Gardens II project. The approval will allow Tahl Propp Equities and L+M Development Partners to proceed with the proposed development which will provide 400 new affordable units. One quarter of the affordable units will be permanently affordable under the Mandatory Inclusionary Housing law, and the remainder will be affordable for 40 years under a regulatory agreement with the Department of Housing … <Read More>


Owner Fined $2,800 for Illegal Cellar Use

Owner converted cellar into additional living space for his family. Mana Masih owns a two story residence with a cellar at 94-36 114 Street in Queens. The owner converted the cellar level into an additional dwelling unit with three beds in the hall, a three- piece bathroom, a kitchen with a residential sink and gas stove. On November 17, 2015 an inspector from the Department of Buildings served a notice of violation charging that the … <Read More>