94-36 114 Street in Queens. Image Credit: CityLand.

Owner converted cellar into additional living space for his family. Mana Masih owns a two story residence with a cellar at 94-36 114 Street in Queens. The owner converted the cellar level into an additional dwelling unit with three beds in the hall, a three- piece bathroom, a kitchen with a residential sink and gas stove. On November 17, 2015 an inspector from the Department of Buildings served a notice of violation charging that the building’s certificate of occupancy authorized only a two-family residence with dwelling units on the first and second floors. An additional violation charged that the conversation of the cellar was done without a Buildings permit. The hearing officer found the owner offered insufficient evidence to refute the violations and imposed fines for each violation totaling $2,800. (more…)