Image credit: New York City Council.

The new bill releases 4,000 new street vendor permits over the course of ten years. On January 28, 2021, the City Council voted to approve Int 1116-B, which provides significant changes to the street vendor system. Prior to the legislation, the number of street vendor permits had been capped at 3,000 since 1983. Given the high demand for permits, limiting the number of permits opened an illegal market for renting out permits. Int 1116-B, sponsored by Council Member Margaret Chin, was created to address these issues by releasing more permits and creating more oversight.  (read 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. (read more…)

Mayor Bill de Blasio. Image credit: CityLand

Leagues will be issues permits with regulations. On August 28, 2020, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that NYC Parks will resume permitting outdoor youth sports on City athletic fields starting September 15, 2020. City athletic fields have been operating throughout the COVID-19 pandemic with social distancing measures in place, but beginning on September 15, 2020, youth sports leagues will be issued permits to use the fields for organized outdoor play. Sports such as baseball, softball, and soccer will resume, but indoor sports such as swimming will still not be permitted. (read more…)

155 – 157 Meserole Street. Image Credit: Google Maps.

Neighbor alleged installation of windows in adjacent property interfered with use and enjoyment of his property. A disgruntled property owner claimed that his property was adversely affected when a neighboring building owner, 155 Meserole, LLC, installed new windows on its building. Leonard Sloninski, who owned the property adjacent to the 155 Meserole, LLC, complained to The Department of Buildings that the new windows lowered the value of his own building and prevented him from enjoying his property. Buildings issued a violation to 155 Meserole, LLC, charging that 155 Meserole, LLC had failed to obtain a permit to install the new windows. The Environmental Control Board dismissed the summons. Buildings appealed the decision, but the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings affirmed the dismissal of the violation. (read more…)

Gansevoort Market Development Rendering. Image credit: BKSK.

Preservationists renewed challenge to LPC permit for redevelopment of 5-building blockface in Gansevoort Market Historic District. In June of 2016, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to award Certificates of Appropriateness to developer 60-74 Gansevoort Street to redevelop five buildings in the Gansevoort Market Historic District. The work planned encompasses an entire blockfront composed of three tax lots between Greenwich and Washington Streets. The project entails the construction of new 82-foot-tall building replacing a former bus depot, a four story building replacing a former market structures, the construction of an addition to an existing building,  the restoration of a historic Moderne market building, as well as the preservation of historic facades. (read more…)

Owners of stalled sites participating in new DOB safety monitoring program can renew permits for up to four years. On October 14, 2009, the City Council passed legislation creating a construction site maintenance program, to be administered by the Department of Buildings, for sites where permitted work has been suspended or has not commenced.

Currently, construction permits issued by Buildings will expire if the owner does not commence work within twelve months or suspends work for a period of twelve months. Owners must then request that Buildings reinstate the permits before restarting work. An owner suspending work for more than two years risks losing the ability to reinstate the permits. Under the new program, permits held by participating owners of stalled sites would remain valid for the full two-year term, and Buildings could renew the permits for up to four years, as long as the owner remained in good standing. (read more…)