City claimed that 97,000 sq.ft. property taken through eminent domain had no value. Cassino Contracting owned a 97,000 sq.ft. parcel in Staten Island, located at the southeast corner of Woodrow Road and Grantwood Avenue. The City later acquired title to the property, at which time the property was vacant and restricted by a declaration that the property would only be used as a storm water retention basin unless the City constructed a storm sewer.… <Read More>
Court Decisions
$40,000 fine for illegal sign reversed by lower court
The Department of Buildings failed to appeal both relevant ALJ decisions. In 2006, the owner of 882 Sixth Avenue entered into a licensing agreement with Troystar Inc., a registered outdoor advertising company. The agreement allowed Troystar to install a sign on the facade of the owner’s building. Two years later, the Department of Buildings issued the owner eight NOVs, one for failing to register as an “outdoor advertising company” and seven for failing to … <Read More>
Split court upholds Sunset Park rezoning plan
Dissent argued that City only belatedly added consideration of rezoning’s impact on low-income residents. In April 2009, the Department of City Planning proposed a 128-block contextual rezoning of Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Planning sought to preserve the residential neighborhood’s built character while allowing new construction at a height and scale consistent with existing development. The proposal called for establishing height limits, mapping new commercial overlays to allow a wider range of uses, and applying the … <Read More>
Prospect Park West bike lane challenge dismissed
Two community groups filed challenge eight months after DOT constructed bike lane. Beginning in April 2009, the Department of Transportation held a series of meetings with Brooklyn Community Board 6 regarding the proposed construction of a bike lane along a portion of Prospect Park West in Park Slope, Brooklyn. DOT planned to reduce the traffic lanes along Prospect Park West from three to two in order to install the two-way bike lane. CB 6 conditionally … <Read More>
Land owners fined, lose outdoor ad challenge
Property owners claimed they could not be fined for lessees’ illegal outdoor advertisements. Four separate property owners leased space on their premises to companies that procured, erected, and/or maintained advertisements in the space. The leases were all long-term. The Department of Buildings issued multiple notices of violation to the owners charging them for failing to register as an outdoor advertising company, failing to obtain a permit or a proper permit for outdoor advertising signs, and … <Read More>
Renovation of Fifth Avenue landmark blocked
Preliminary injunction issued after preservationists claim renovations exceeded proposal approved by Landmarks. In April 2011, Landmarks approved Vornado Realty Trust’s proposal to renovate the Manufacturers Trust Company Building at 510 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. Landmarks designated the Skidmore, Owens & Merrill-designed, glass and metal building as an individual City landmark in 1997. In February 2011, Landmarks designated the building’s first two floors as an interior landmark.
Shortly after the interior landmarking, Vornado proposed … <Read More>