Pay phone ads ruled illegal

Franchise holder advertised on public pay phones located in a residential zoning district. The Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications charged Coastal Communication Service, Inc., a public pay phone franchise holder, with displaying advertisements on public pay phones within a residential zoning district. Coastal’s franchise agreement limited the display of advertisements on public pay phones to residential districts where commercial or manufacturing uses were permitted as-of-right.

Coastal argued that DoITT had exceeded its authority by … <Read More>


Facade NOV dismissed

246 East 46th Street. Photo:Melanie Cash.

Building owner inspected facade after allotted time. Beginning in 1980, owners of buildings taller than six stories were required to conduct a critical examination of their buildings’ facade every five years. Each five-year cycle required submission of a technical report following examination. In February 1999, the Department of Buildings accepted the last of the fourth round technical reports. Building owner J.T. Tai Co., Inc. conducted a facade examination in … <Read More>


Queens car rental agency wins zoning change

Council approves Commission modification demapping two street portions but not a third. On September 24, 2008, the City Council approved GTJ Co., Inc.’s plan, as modified by the City Planning Commission, to rezone its property from C4-2 and R3-2 to C4-1, and demap portions of abutting mapped streets.

GTJ owns Lot 34 of Block 1082 and the entirety of Block 1083, where it operates a Budget Rent-a- Car business. The property is roughly bounded by … <Read More>