HPD obtains approval for four-story housing project with 19 studio apartments. On August 17, 2005, the City Council approved HPD’s application for the construction of a four-story, low-income housing project for the mentally ill on four vacant lots in East New York, Brooklyn. The 7,600-square-foot site, comprised of four lots at 433 – 441 DeWitt Avenue at Malta Street, is located on a residential block, containing other HPD projects, privately- owned residences and a few vacant City-owned lots. The proposal, a 13,440-square-foot building with 19 studio apartments, was approved in 2004 by the Planning Commission, but HPD withdrew the application prior to the City Council’s vote. HPD re-applied for development approval in 2005.

PSCH Inc., a not-for-profit corporation that provides health care, rehabilitative services, job training and housing to persons with developmental and psychiatric disabilities, will manage the project. The project will provide transitional housing to mentally-ill patients who have shown the ability to live within the community yet are in need of supportive services to complete the transition. Patients will stay within the facility for 18 to 24 months and PSCH will provide educational, vocational and medical services on site. (more…)

Owner argued that Buildings ordered a halt to excavation to prevent the 14-unit building from being grandfathered. On August 6, 2004, Peter Rendel of DNR Construction applied for a building permit to construct a 14-unit residential condominium building at 1150 Arden Avenue on Staten Island. Three days later, Buildings cited Rendel for removing trees without a permit and issued a stop-work order. Despite the stop-work order, Buildings issued the permit to construct the building on August 10th. One day later, Buildings issued a second stop-work order, alerting Rendel that a permit for tree removal and a City Transit Authority approval letter were required.

On August 12th, the City Council enacted the Lower Density Growth Management controls covering the entire borough of Staten Island to prohibit new out-of-character development in the borough. The new controls rendered the proposed 14- unit building non-compliant and extinguished Rendel’s right to continue with the construction. (more…)

UDAAP approved for transitional housing facility for formerly incarcerated women. On April 12, 2005, the City Council approved Project Greenhope’s proposal to construct a new seven-story, 49- unit transitional housing facility at 435 East 119th Street in East Harlem. Project Greenhope provides transitional housing and support services, including vocational, clinical and educational programs to formerly incarcerated women, as well as housing in-lieu of incarceration at its existing facility on East 119th Street.

The new 35,355-square-foot facility will accommodate 70 women and 28 children of single mothers. The project required the Council to approve disposition of the site to Project Greenhope, the UDAAP designation and a special permit allowing the new facility to exceed the permitted floor area. The City Council unanimously approved with Council Member Larry B. Seabrook excused from the vote. (more…)

Facility to provide transitional housing for formerly incarcerated women. The Planning Commission approved a 49-unit, seven-story new building to serve as a substance abuse treatment facility and transitional housing for 70 homeless women ex-offenders, of whom an estimated 28 will have children residing with them. The new building, which will be funded by the New York State Homeless Housing Assistance Program, will be located at 435 East 119th Street in East Harlem and managed by Project Greenhope, a residential transitional treatment program for formerly incarcerated women. The application required the Commission’s approval of a UDAAP designation, disposition of City-owned property, and a special permit to increase the permitted floor area.

The site, located on a primarily residential block, comprises two City-owned lots on the north side of East 119th Street between Pleasant and First Avenues which currently contain a community garden that will be relocated. Project Greenhope manages an existing facility on East 119th Street and plans to move all 62 of its residents into the new building. Residents of the new building would either be in transition from incarceration to independent living or referred as an alternative to incarceration. The proposed 36,225 square-foot building will include an on-site nursery and day care center, a community garden and a yard for recreational activities. (more…)

Existing wooden-floor building will be demolished. Stressing unique construction costs and structural weaknesses, BSA approved a variance for a new five-story, 42-unit residential building on Union Avenue and Withers Street in a manufacturing zone in Williamsburg. The 15,545 sq.ft. site currently contains a vacant two-story, wooden- floor manufacturing building that will be demolished for the new development. The original application sought approval for a seven-story, 60-unit development with 24 parking spaces, which would have been 62 ft. in height along the street.

The developer, pointing to a structural engineer’s study, argued that the existing structure was too weak to support the additional stories needed to make the building economically viable as either manufacturing or commercial, and that the site’s proximity to the subway line substantially increased construction costs due to requirements set by the New York City Transit Authority. (more…)