Loft status denied for non-resident

Loft occupant moved out prior to applying for protected status. Frank Hughes was a resident at 401 Wythe Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, a commercial building with several residential units. In 2012, Hughes and other residents of the building applied to the New York City Loft Board for Loft Law occupant protection status, which referred the applications for an OATH hearing. The 401 Wythe Avenue residents sought Loft Law status because lofts in split commercial/residential buildings … <Read More>


Nail Salon gets $15K COVID fines

Nail salon violated health code by staying open for business in a Covid Red Zone. BJ New Beauty Queen Nail Spa, Inc., located at 968 McDonald Avenue, Brooklyn, was within a Covid “Red Zone.” A Covid Red Zone is an area where non-essential businesses must close due to a high infection rate. Despite the mandatory order to close, BJ New Beauty Queen remained open for business. The Department of Finance issued a summons amounting in … <Read More>


Water Board ruled necessary party

New York City excused for default on a lawsuit regarding water allowance arrears. A&F Scaccia operates a concrete manufacturing plant at 104-17 148th Street in Jamaica, Queens. Between 2007 and 2015, the NYC Department of Environmental Protection charged A&F Scaccia Realty Corp. for low-estimated water readings due to a broken water meter on their commercial property. On discovery of the error, the DEP reassessed the concrete company’s water usage in 2016 and charged A&F Scaccia … <Read More>


U-Haul must pay truck renter’s fine

Renter of a vehicle owned by U-Haul allowed vehicle to idle for more than three minutes. A passerby noticed a U-Haul-owned vehicle idling at 455 West 48th Street in August 2020. The U-Haul’s engine appeared to be running for over four minutes without movement. The passerby videoed the vehicle with audible engine noise as a person sat in the driver’s seat.


Speed of Subway Trains Challenged

Subway trains at the Spring Street station twice struck passengers lying on the tracks on separate occasions. How fast should subway trains be moving when they enter a station? The faster the subway trains go, the more people the trains can carry and the quicker people will get to their destinations. Even a slowdown of a few seconds per train can slow the entire system. Speed is so important to the mission of the Transit … <Read More>


New York is Sticking to its Guns by Prohibiting Firearms in Times Square

Times Square’s “gun-free” status remains a contentious issue in the face of legal challenges, but the City is determined to forge ahead. Earlier this summer, the United States Supreme Court struck down New York’s concealed carry permitting requirements, which has resulted in an ongoing legal battle as the city and state try to find a balance between constitutional rights and public safety.