Property owner held in civil contempt

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, … <Read More>


Plumber fined for temporary sidewalk

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 … <Read More>


Fines mitigated when violation cured

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 … <Read More>


Deli fined $16,600 for e-cig display

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.


Contractor’s Licenses Revoked

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 … <Read More>


Property Award Decreased By $6,934,487

City claimed condemned property designated as wetlands was overvalued at $10 million. In 1985, seven acres of property covering six blocks in the Oakwood Beach section of Staten Island was donated to a yeshiva. The yeshiva’s plans for the property included development of a school and synagogue. Due to fiscal setbacks and a freshwater wetland designation, the yeshiva in 1991 sought and the City approved a hardship exemption in development of the planned school and … <Read More>