BSA allows reduced parking for medical facility

Residents and elected officials opposed application to reduce parking requirements for Bay Parkway medical facility. In 2011, the Marcal Group began developing an as-ofright mixed-use medical facility at 6010 Bay Parkway in the Mapleton section of Brooklyn. Marcal later sought Buildings’ approval for a revised project reflecting a 93,920 sq.ft., nine-story medical facility/ commercial building with a total of 120 off-street parking spaces. Buildings rejected the application because a building that size would require at … <Read More>


BSA Commissioner Susan M. Hinkson Discusses Her Varied Career

Susan M. Hinkson serves as one of the five Commissioners on the Mayor-appointed Board of Standards and Appeals. Hinkson, who is trained as both an architect and an attorney, was born and raised in the Bronx. Her father served as a justice in the Bronx County Supreme Court and her mother was a musician in the theater. Hinkson said her mother probably thought she would also go into theater, but around age fourteen Hinkson declared … <Read More>


BSA denies challenge to mosque’s building permit

Community group argued that Buildings should require mosque to provide off-street parking. In November 2010, Buildings issued a permit to Allowey Ahmed to develop a three-story mosque at 2812 Voorhies Avenue in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. The mosque would include a 138-person prayer room on the first floor and a 61-person secondary prayer room on the second floor with interior windows overlooking the main prayer room. The plans did not include off-street parking spaces because the … <Read More>


BSA allows six-story building in Astoria to go forward

Developer affected by rezoning claimed substantial work. In early 2010, Scott Minuta obtained a permit to demolish two low-rise buildings at 35-16 Astoria Boulevard in Astoria, Queens. On May 10, 2010, Minuta obtained a building permit to develop a six-story mixed-use building on the site. Two weeks later the City Council approved the 238-block Astoria Rezoning Plan, which replaced the site’s R6 zoning with an R6B district. 7 CityLand 71 (June 15, 2010). The rezoning … <Read More>


Council proposes DOB and BSA fee increases

Domenic M. Recchia Jr.

Local laws would increase Buildings’ filing fees and BSA’s application fees. On May 11, 2011, City Council Member Domenic M. Recchia Jr., by request of the Mayor, introduced two local laws to amend the City’s administrative code and increase the Department of Buildings’ filing fees and the Board of Standards & Appeals’ application fees.

Intro 570 would affect certain filing fees charged by Buildings for alteration permits, service equipment and … <Read More>


BSA denies challenge to twelve-story homeless shelter

Community group argued that proposed homeless shelter did not qualify as a hotel under the zoning resolution. Buildings in 2010 issued the Bowery Residents’ Committee a permit to convert a twelve-story factory building at 127 West 25th Street in Chelsea to a homeless shelter and offices. BRC planned to create a 32-bed chemical dependency crisis center, a 96-bed reception center for the homeless, a 200-bed homeless shelter, and two outpatient counseling programs serving up

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