Board of Standards & Appeals

BSA rejects special permit for demolished building

Owner’s application to Buildings failed to disclose actual conditions or intentions with respect to demolition. Alexis Lyublinskiy hoped to enlarge his one-story home at 136 Norfolk Street in Manhattan Beach. After his architect self-certified permits, demolition and construction work began that did not match the permits. Lyublinskiy eventually demolished three walls and constructed a two-story home that violated zoning restrictions on floor area, wall height and yard limitations.

The Department of Buildings then issued a … <Read More>

Historic Dumbo Buildings to Become Residential

Plan calls for partial demolition and conversion of three buildings into residential units. Ironworks LLC proposed to convert three vacant buildings located along Old Fulton Street in Dumbo into residential units. Built in the early 1800s, the adjacent four-story brick buildings sit within the Fulton Ferry Historic District, less than 75 feet from the Brooklyn Bridge. Due to their manufacturing zoning, conversion to residential use triggered the need for a variance from BSA.

Ironworks’ plan … <Read More>

Status of Breezy Point lots remains unsettled

DOB revokes Breezy Point resident’s building permit, thereby eliminating BSA appeal. On May 15, 2007, BSA dismissed a contentious case involving the construction of a new year-round home in Breezy Point, Queens, following the Department of Buildings’ revocation of the original permit.

In 2006, Thomas Carroll, a Breezy Point resident for over 50 years, received a permit to construct a new year-round home to replace his deteriorated bungalow. Carroll’s neighbor, Supreme Court Judge James Golia, … <Read More>

Botanical Garden to build 825-space parking garage

BSA approves variance for six-story parking structure. The New York Botanical Garden applied for a variance to construct a six-story, 123,600-square-foot parking garage with 825 spaces. The proposed garage, to be located on two Bronx lots adjacent to the Metro-North Botanical Garden Station along Webster Avenue, Bedford Park Boulevard and Botanical Square South, would replace an abandoned gas station and a one-story warehouse. The proposal required a variance to alter height and setback limitations, allow … <Read More>

Conversion of apartments to dormitory use approved

Twelve residential buildings to be converted to dorms over opposition. St. John’s University proposed to convert 12 three-unit apartment buildings into dormitories, increasing the potential student occupancy from 108 to 162. St John’s currently uses the buildings, located along Union Turnpike in Flushing, Queens, as apartments for its students. The plan called for no alteration or enlargement to the buildings; however the use change would render the buildings noncompliant with the City’s 15-foot yard requirement, … <Read More>

BSA hears appeal challenging NYU dorm

Challenge to construction of this 26-story, East 12th Street NYU dorm heard by BSA. Photo:Morgan Kunz.

East Village residents opposed lot merger needed for construction of 26-story dormitory. On April 17, 2007, BSA held a contentious hearing on New York University’s 26- story dormitory, currently under construction on East 12th Street in the East Village. In September 2006, a court refused to halt construction while residents appealed the building permit to BSA. 3 CityLand 144 … <Read More>