Prison Reform: The Monitor’s First Report in the Nunez Case

Recently the City got some good news about Rikers Island, a change from the bad news of recent years. On August 2, 2016, Mayor Bill de Blasio, together with Correction Commissioner Joseph Ponte, announced that for the first six months of 2016 the frequencies with which staff used serious force on inmates and inmates seriously assaulted staff dropped by nearly half over the past year. Overall uses of force and assault numbers were also down … <Read More>


Residential variance approved for waterfront site

Residential development on College Point manufacturing site approved. Jung Kyu Lee owned a 496,604- square-foot lot split between commercial and manufacturing zoning districts along the East River in College Point, Queens. He constructed 58 two-family homes as-of-right on the commercially-zoned portion, leaving the 144,325-square-foot manufacturing portion vacant and inaccessible from the closest street. Lee then applied to BSA to construct 28 new two-family homes on the manufacturing portion.

Lee argued that manufacturing uses would be … <Read More>


Court denies owner’s motion to increase appraisal

First appraisal allegedly based on flawed calculation under City’s Zoning Resolution. Malba Cove Properties, Inc. had owned a 655,188- square-foot undeveloped parcel in College Point, Queens that the City acquired by eminent domain in 1996 as part of the City’s plan to develop a waterfront park.

With the trial on the property value set to start in mid-July 2006, Malba asked the court in late May for permission to file a revised appraisal that would … <Read More>


Developer withdraws variance requests after rezoning

Developer sought variance to build additional 2-family home in flood zone. The developer of three lots located on 130th Street in College Point, Queens, applied to BSA for a variance to construct three, two-family homes on property formerly occupied by the Ariel Rowing and Tennis Club. The developer’s applications represented that a hardship existed due to the lots’ location within a flood zone, which would require that the buildings be constructed on piles and without … <Read More>


134 residential units approved on waterfront

Nineteenth century warehouse to be converted into condominiums. CPP Development LLC, owner of 109-09 15th Avenue, a 100,338-square-foot waterfront lot in an M2-1 district in College Point, Queens, sought a variance to convert and enlarge the existing three-story, masonry warehouse into a six-story, 134-unit residential building. CPP proposed to construct two rear yard additions to the existing 1856 warehouse, which was formerly occupied by the Chilton Paint Company, and remodel the first floor of the … <Read More>


Mayor’s Office Announces Dozens of Resilient Building and Infrastructure Projects

On November 22, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the creation of a new pilot program to design and construct projects utilizing the NYC Climate Resiliency Design guidelines. The guidelines provide technical guidance for engineers and architects in the design of buildings, roads, sewer systems, public housing, and other forms of public infrastructure to anticipate worsening impacts from climate change including flooding, storm surge and intense heat.