Brooklyn prison expansion halted by judge

Brooklyn House of Detention. Photo:Natalie Amar.

Court compelled an EIS and other public participation measures related to Brooklyn House of Detention. In 2003, the City closed the Brooklyn House of Detention, located at 275 Atlantic Avenue across from the Criminal Court. At the time, Correction reasoned that the costs of caring for each inmate at the Brooklyn facility were too high because of the facility’s small capacity. Since then, the City kept no inmates there … <Read More>


Council approves Battery Maritime addition

Battery Maritime Building. Image: Courtesy of NYCEDC.

Restoration of Battery Maritime Building along with addition of boutique hotel wins approval. On March 11, 2009, the City Council voted to approve the Economic Development Corporation and Dermot Company’s redevelopment plan for the Battery Maritime Building, located on the southern tip of Manhattan just east of Battery Park.

The 1909 building, once part of the original Whitehall Ferry Terminal, was designated as an individual City landmark in … <Read More>


Building owner to pay for FDR repairs

Building’s foundation with cracks over and along the FDR. In 1938, the Board of Estimate approved an extension of the FDR Drive from East 92nd Street down to East 49th Street. The City acquired full title to the land necessary for the extension except from East 54th to 56th Streets, where it acquired a permanent easement from the Henry Phipps estate to use the area for street purposes. The estate retained the right to erect … <Read More>


Homeowners win damages over C of O delay

Builder still had not produced a C of O after seven years. Two families separately contracted with Giovanni Culotta to build semi-attached homes at 243 and 245 Elm Street in Staten Island. In May 1998, both families closed and received temporary certificates of occupancy with an understanding that Culotta would later provide a final certificate. Buildings’ records indicate the last temporary certificates of occupancy expired in 1999. Subsequently, Buildings issued violations to the families for … <Read More>


Council approves Homeport lease

Tenant will supply U.S. Navy with docking services and emergency provisions. On March 9, 2005, the City Council approved a draft lease submitted by the City’s Economic Development Corporation for a 40,000 square-foot portion of the Staten Island Homeport Pier to a tenant to be chosen by the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command. The chosen contractor will provide layberthing services to U.S. Navy vessels, allowing the ships to dock, be maintained in a state of … <Read More>