BSA rejects developer seeking a dormitory use permit

Developer planned a 19-story dormitory building without an existing school affiliation. BSA denied developer Gregg Singer’s appeal from a Department of Buildings determination rejecting Singer’s application to build a 1 9- story, 222-unit student dormitory building on the site of former P.S. 64, located at 609 East 9th Street in the East Village. Singer had acquired the five-story, former elementary school from the City for $3.15 million at a 1 998 auction. The existing building … <Read More>


Crawford Clothes Building: designation denied

Landmarks threatens to abandon process of contacting the owner prior to designation. By a unanimous vote on May 17, 2005, Landmarks refused to designate the Crawford Clothes Building at University Place and West 14th Street, which was considered one of the earliest noteworthy designs of New York City architect Morris Lapidus. The three-story brick and metal retail structure had included a glass center tower that revealed the retail activity on each level, but which the … <Read More>


Variances granted for top two floors, denied for bottom two

Building owner sought to legalize 23 residential units. The owner of a four-story 34,500 sq.ft. building in an M1-1 zoned district located at 47 Thames Street in East Williamsburg, sought to legalize 23 existing residential units on its first through fourth floors.

In support of the variance, the applicant argued that the building is one of the few four-story manufacturing buildings in the area, and its lack of access ramps, loading docks and a commercial … <Read More>


Storefront alterations denied

DeBeers sought to install its signature colors on landmarked storefront. The DeBeers retail store, located on the ground floor of the St. Regis Hotel, an individual landmark at 699-703 Fifth Avenue at 55th Street, sought to modify a March 2003 approval for new storefront infill. The modifications included replacing the arched windows’ translucent glass with opaque aubergine glass, covering the masonry with opaque aubergine glass, installing white lettering on the aubergine awning, and replacing pin-mounted … <Read More>


Variance for carwash denied

Developer failed to show residential use was infeasible on large Queens site. On December 7, 2004, BSA denied a variance application for an automatic car wash proposed for 34- 11 Rockaway Boulevard at the corner of Sea Girt Boulevard in Queens, a C2- 2(R6) zone. Residential and retail use, but not car washes, would be permitted as-of-right on the site, a 37,255 sq.ft. lot with a 206 ft. street frontage along Far Rockaway Boulevard and … <Read More>


Changes to 1897 rowhouse denied

Owner denied access lift, sidewalk excavation and a new passageway. The owner of 313 315 West 91 st Street, two Renaissance- style rowhouses designed by Charles True and built in 1897, sought a permit to excavate the sidewalk along the western end of 315 West 91 st Street to create a passageway. The buildings, two of a series of seven historic mansions, are located within the Riverside Drive-West End Historic District designated by Landmarks in … <Read More>