Early 20th century rooming house heard

Owner of renaissance-style building willing to accommodate landmark status. On December 18, 2007, Landmarks heard testimony on the Allerton 39th Street House, built between 1916 and 1918 at 145 East 39th Street in the East Side of Manhattan. The building was one of six Allerton Houses in the City, a chain of residences and clubs that served young middle-class men until the mid- 1920s. Arthur Loomis Harmon, who later worked on the Empire State Building, … <Read More>


Landmarks approves 14- story tower on 21st Street

Plans for glass tower win approval after modifications. On January 15, 2008, Landmarks granted a Certificate of Appropriateness to A&R Development to construct a new 14- story building at 16 West 21st Street in the Ladies’ Mile Historic District. The Morris Adjmi-designed tower will replace a two-story parking garage and will feature sandblasted brick blocks to echo the area’s characteristic light stone brick buildings. A similar building was proposed for West 18th Street in 2005, … <Read More>


Landmarks Designates New DUMBO Historic District

Local elected officials behind push for designation. On December 18, 2007, Landmarks voted to designate a portion of the DUMBO area as an historic district. DUMBO, an acronym for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, served as a center for American manufacturing beginning in the 19th century. The architecture of its industrial buildings range in materials from brick and timber to reinforced concrete. In the 1970s, young artists began moving to the area and … <Read More>


BSA finds hardship for new synagogue

BSA allows three-story synagogue in Midwood. Merkaz, a nonprofit religious institution, sought a variance from yard, FAR, lot coverage, height and setback zoning regulations in order to construct a three-story synagogue with an accessory pre-school at 1739 Ocean Avenue in the Midwood neighborhood of Brooklyn. The synagogue would serve a 20- family congregation, while the school would offer religious education for children and adults.

Citing concerns over the impact the development would have on neighborhood … <Read More>


Board 7 and Avella convince owner to adjust variance

Owner agrees to demolish a portion of a garage in order to build a two-story expansion. The owner of a two-story single-family home with a detached garage at 7-12 126th Street sought a variance from rear yard requirements to facilitate construction of a two-story addition. The 1935 home is located in a portion of College Point that the City rezoned from R3-2 to R2A in 2005. 2 CityLand 135 (Oct. 15, 2005).

The owner claimed … <Read More>


BSA grandfathers Dyker Heights development

Council Member Gentile sent letter in support of developer’s appeal. On July 12, 2007, the Department of Buildings issued the owner of 1270 Bay Ridge Parkway, located between 12th and 13th Avenues, a permit to construct a three-story building that would include space for residential, commercial and community facility use. Less than two weeks later, on July 25, 2007, the City Council voted to rezone the Dyker Heights neighborhood, putting the proposed development out … <Read More>