119 Ramapo Avenue, the damaged property. Image Credit: Google Maps

Property owner blocked neighbor’s contractors from completing agreed repairs. In 2005, Mauro Palladino, without permits from the Department of Buildings, installed a pool, a fence, and a wall in the backyard of his Staten Island home. Palladino’s construction caused stormwater to flood the neighboring backyard of a home owned by Nicola Mezzacappa.  In 2008, Mezzacappa, sued Palladino for the damage to Mezzacappa’s property. The neighbors settled the lawsuit in 2011.  As part of the settlement, Palladino agreed to undertake the necessary remedial work and Mezzacappa agreed to provide Palladino and his contractors reasonable access to his property. Palladino had four to six months from the settlement to get Buildings Department approvals, and four to six months to complete the work. (more…)

Temporary sidewalk in front of 30 Metcalfe Street. Image Credit: Google Maps

Plumbing subcontractor completed work at construction site, but did not permanently restore sidewalks. Quality Plumbing, Inc. worked as a subcontractor at four construction sites on Staten Island. The four sites were located at 30 Metcalfe Street, 24-26 Windom Avenue, 65 Todt Hill Road, and 23 Highmount Road. For each address, Quality obtained a street opening permit from the Department of Transportation to perform excavation and plumbing work. Quality completed its plumbing work before the general contractor completed the construction work. Quality repaired the roadway when it completed its work, but left the sidewalk in a temporary state. Between August and October 2019, the DOT served six summonses charging permit violations on Quality for failing to repair the excavated sidewalk before its permit expired. (more…)

316 Bement Avenue, Staten Island. Image Credit: Google Maps

Homeowner parked construction vehicles, unlicensed cars and construction material in residential district. Rachel Masica parked in the driveway of her residence at 316 Bement Avenue, Staten Island, a commercial dump truck, two Volkswagens without license plates, and, on the front lawn, a trailer. Masica stored a backhoe in her backyard under a tent, along with construction material, combustible wood, ladders, plywood, heavy-duty construction equipment, ladders, and wood planks. The Department of Buildings charged Masica with two Class 2, major violations, one for violating parking regulations in a residential district and the other for maintaining illegal uses in a residential district. (more…)

7507 Amboy Road, Staten Island. Image Credit: Google Maps

Deli displayed e-cigarette products after City served summons. On May 6, 2019, during a routine inspection, an officer from the Department of Consumer Affairs* served a summons charging violations of City electronic cigarette laws on Tottenville Gourmet Deli & Smoke Shop located at 7507 Amboy Road, Staten Island. The officer saw e-cigarette products on display in a glass case with prices. The Deli did not have a license as an Electronic Cigarette Retail Dealer. (more…)

Dana Ford Car Dealership in Staten Island. Image Credit: Google Maps.

During the demolition of a Staten Island building an employee was killed when the floor collapsed. Dana Ford, a car dealership in Staten Island, New York, contracted with Formica Construction, Inc. to build a new facility at 266 West Service Road, Staten Island, and demolish Dana Ford’s old facility. Buildings approved the construction plan, but Formica never obtained the necessary permit to commence the demolition. On the morning of November 28, 2014, four Formica employees entered the old facility around 7:30 a.m. The mezzanine floor of the building collapsed, crushing and killing Delfino Mendizabal, a Formica employee. (more…)