Emergency Order Upheld

Department of Buildings placed commercial building in program that forces the owner to immediately fix code violations. Rada Corporation is the owner of a commercial building located on Remsen Avenue in Brooklyn. In May 2016, the New York City Department of Buildings issued a violation against the property, noting brick and cracked mortar joints. Buildings determined that due to the severity of the violations, an immediate emergency declaration was warranted. After the owner of the … <Read More>


Approval of Alteration – UPDATE: Case on Appeal

The owners of the Dean Sage Mansion in Crown Heights North Historic District sought to build addition to the 1870’s mansion. In the mid-nineteenth century the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn underwent suburban development of freestanding villas. Today, only a few of the Sturgis villas remain, one of which is the Dean Sage Mansion at 839 St. Mark’s Avenue, a rare High Gothic style mansion built in 1870 by architect Russell Sturgis. The Mansion, which … <Read More>


Tenant Wins Support Dog Claim

NYCHA put the tenant on probation after the tenant’s dog attacked the NYCHA employee. In April 2015, Lerone Washington’s English bulldog, Onyx, jumped and bit NYCHA’s employee who was delivering a hotplate to Washington’s apartment.  A few weeks later NYCHA informed Washington that it considered terminating Washinton’s lease due to his having an unauthorized and dangerous dog in the apartment. Although Washington attempted to register Onyx as a service pet, NYCHA ordered Washington to remove … <Read More>


Appellate Division Upholds City’s Sale of Bronx Waterfront Property

A Bronx not-for-profit sues City over the sale of waterfront property to a private developer. The City sold Pier 5 to a private developer to facilitate the construction of the Bronx Point development. Pier 5 is a 4.4 acre plot of land bounded by Mill Pond Park to the North, the 149th Street Bridge to the South, the Major Deegan Expressway to the East and the Harlem River to the West. The development anticipates … <Read More>


Crane License Rejection Upheld

Buildings refused to grant class A crane license after applicant failed to demonstrate that he possessed three years of experience under the direct supervision of a licensed machine operator. Leo Boccia applied to the Department of Buildings for a class A license to operate a hoisting machine. Boccia’s application included affidavits that showed he had been supervised from January 2011 to December 2014 by a class A license holder while completing class C2 set-ups. The … <Read More>


Super Storm Sandy Claim

Homeowner claimed benefits under disaster recovery program implemented after Super Storm Sandy. In November 2013, Brooklyn attorney Christopher McCollum applied for benefits under the Build It Back program established by the City following Super Storm Sandy. McCollum claimed that his home sustained damage to its windows, backyard, roof, chimney, and façade during Super Storm Sandy.