Search Results for: Article 78

Union Square challenge to restaurant dismissed

Union Square Park renovation plan. Image:Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates

Challenge to Union Square Park renovation dismissed. Image:Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates.

Local group opposed Parks’ plan to relocate restaurant. Parks’ renovation of Union Square Park included a redesigned playground, a new comfort station, and a restored historic pavilion at the northern end of the park. The project also included moving a private seasonal restaurant, located south of the pavilion, into the pavilion. The Union Square Community … <Read More>

Six-story condo allowed in rezoned area of Brooklyn

BSA’s decision to deny developer’s request to complete construction was irrational since it had previously granted similar requests. Menachem Realty Inc. submitted professionally certified plans to Buildings for a sixstory residential condominium at 1623 Avenue P in Midwood, Brooklyn. Buildings issued a building permit based on the plans, and Menachem began excavation and foundation work. Before the foundation was completed, Buildings performed an audit of the plans, raised eight objections, and issued a letter stating … <Read More>

Revised hospital plan approved for St.Vincent’s

St.Vincent’s still faces fight over associated residential development. In a March 10, 2009 public meeting, Landmarks voted to grant approval for a new hospital on Seventh Avenue between 12th and 13th Streets in the Greenwich Village Historic District. The site is currently occupied by the 1963 O’Toole Building, for which Landmarks approved demolition in October of 2008. 5 CityLand 158 (Nov. 15, 2008).

Representatives of St. Vincent’s presented an amended design that considered the criticisms … <Read More>

Enforcement of new crane law enjoined

Buildings amended crane law to stop crane owners from de-rating crane tonnage capacity. As part of Buildings’ new construction code, a provision was enacted to limit Class C1 licensed crane operators to single control stations. The provision was meant to limit crane owners’ ability to de-rate a crane’s maximum load capacity. De-rating is the practice of reporting that a crane has a lesser ton capacity than it actually has so that a lower licensee, … <Read More>

Trump SoHo Wins Appeal

Court finds that BSA’s decision to uphold DOB permits was supported by substantial evidence. The New York City Department of Buildings issued permits for a transient hotel at 246 Spring Street in Manhattan. Believing that the design amounted to an unpermitted residential building in an M1-6 zoning district, SoHo Alliance appealed DOB’s decision to BSA. BSA denied the appeal, 5 CityLand 74 (June 15, 2008), and SoHo Alliance filed an article 78 petition challenging … <Read More>

Site qualifies as brownfield

DEC acted outside its authority by creating “but-for” test to deny eligibility. East River Realty Company LLC owned several contaminated properties in the Murray Hill neighborhood of Manhattan and in 2001 entered them into the NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation’s Voluntary Cleanup Program. The sites are former Con Edison sites, and are among the largest and most valuable development sites in the City.

Following the enactment of the State’s Brownfield Cleanup Program in 2003, East … <Read More>