Plan to demolish two-story building’s facade rejected

52 and 54 Lispenard Street. Image: Mary Gillen.

Commission rejected plan to replace low-rise building’s facade and build five-story addition that would cross over to neighboring building. On February 7, 2012, Landmarks rejected a proposal to alter neighboring two- and five-story buildings at 52 and 54 Lispenard Street in the Tribeca East Historic District. The proposal called for replacing the facade and adding five stories to the two-story building at 52 Lispenard and adding two … <Read More>


Court finds City discriminated in housing project

Judge enjoined City’s redevelopment proposal for area straddling Williamsburg and Bedford-Stuyvesant. In December 2009, the City Council approved the Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s redevelopment proposal for the Broadway Triangle Urban Renewal Area in South Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The seventeen-block urban renewal area was created in 1989 and is primarily located within Community District 1, with a six-block portion within Community District 3. CD 1 is predominately white with a large Hasidic community, and CD … <Read More>


Puck Building additions OK’d

Size and visibility of proposed rooftop additions reduced over course of several meetings. After multiple revisions, Landmarks unanimously approved Kushner Companies’ proposal to build rooftop additions on the Puck Building at 295 Lafayette Street in SoHo. The individual landmark occupies a full block on the south side of Houston Street and consists of two sections designed by architect Albert Wagner. The first section, built in 1886, rises to seven stories, and a nine-story rear … <Read More>


New five-story building in Brooklyn Heights approved

30 Henry Street. Image courtesy of BKSK Architects.

Proposal to replace low-rise building on Henry Street criticized by neighbors who wanted bolder, contemporary design. On January 17, 2012, Landmarks approved Fortis Property Group LLC’s revised proposal to replace a low-rise industrial building with a five-story apartment building at 30 Henry Street at the edge of the Brooklyn Heights Historic District. Until recently, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle newspaper occupied the 1963 brick building at the southwest … <Read More>


Two Queens projects get go ahead despite rezoning

Developers had begun but not completed foundations when the Council approved rezoning proposal. On June 24, 2011, the owner of a corner lot at 64-01 Woodside Avenue in Woodside, Queens obtained a foundation permit to begin construction on a proposed seven-story, 24,022 sq.ft. building with 27 apartments. On July 26, 2011, the owner of two lots at 69- 17 and 69-19 38th Avenue in Woodside obtained building permits to build two four-story buildings with a … <Read More>


Westchester Square BID re-enters objection period

Bronx BID formation delayed to ensure compliance with public notice requirements. On January 3, 2012, the City Council’s Finance Committee held a public hearing triggering another 30-day objection period for the Department of Small Business Services’ plan to create the Westchester Square Business Improvement District in the Bronx. The proposed BID would be within Bronx Community Boards 10 and 11. The district, with a proposed first-year budget of $320,000, would include 90 tax lots and … <Read More>