Two Adjoining Bank Buildings Designated as Individual Landmarks

“Bank Row” buildings represent two eras of 20th-century economic expansion. Landmarks voted to designate two bank buildings in Brooklyn as individual City landmarks at its meeting on January 24, 2017. The elder of the two landmarks, the People’s Trust Company Building, stands at 181 Montague Street, and the second item, the National Title Guaranty Building, adjoins it at 185 Montague Street. The buildings are the only unprotected historic structures on what is known … <Read More>


Comptroller Finds Buildings Needs to Improve the Site Safety Professional Licensing Process

On June 30, 2016, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer’s office released a Report on the Department of Buildings’ issuance of licenses to site safety professionals. There are two types of site safety professional licenses: site safety manager and site safety coordinator. City law requires that a site safety manager be onsite to oversee all work of any project to demolish or construct buildings 15 stories or more in height, and a site safety coordinator … <Read More>


Two Adjoining Bank Buildings to be Considered as Potential Individual Landmarks

A Neoclassical and an Art Deco Building, both from the early 20th century, significant contributors to Brooklyn’s “Bank Row,” added to Landmarks’ calendar. On August 9, 2016 the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to add two adjoining Brooklyn buildings to its calendar: the People’s Trust Company Building, at 181 Montague Street, and the National Title Guaranty Building, at 185 Montague Street. Both buildings are prominent members of Downtown Brooklyn’s “Bank Row,” developed in … <Read More>


Buildings Upheld on Crane Licenses

President of the operating engineers challenged new rules on crane operator licenses. Edwin L. Christian, President and Business Manager of the International Union of Operating Engineers, filed an article 78 petition challenging amendments to the rules of the City of New York promulgated by the Department of Buildings regarding licensing for crane operators. Christian challenged the adoption of a rule which dispensed with the requirement that, for a class A license, the applicant must have … <Read More>


Early 20th Century Dairy Buildings Enter Designation Process

Two buildings in former dairy complex identified as potentially worthy of preservation in advance of proposed East New York rezoning. At a meeting on March 8, 2016, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to add the Empire State Dairy Company Buildings at 2840 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn to its calendar, formally commencing the designation process. The two buildings together prominently occupy a full block face along Atlantic Avenue. Landmarks staff undertook a survey of the neighborhood … <Read More>


Comptroller Releases Findings of Lost City Revenue in Audit of Department of Finance

The audit report reveals that the misclassification of 140 properties has deprived the City of $1.7 million annually in lost property tax revenue. On February 18, 2016, the Office of the NYC Comptroller publicized the results from its audit of the New York City Department of Finance.  The audit sought to investigate whether the Department of Finance had implemented procedures that adequately safeguard against the misclassification of Brooklyn property sites. The Comptroller’s Office and DOF … <Read More>