Former SRO exempt from City’s no harassment law

Building had been converted prior to passage of Local Law. Jennifer Walker purchased 151 West 76th Street, a five-story residential building in Manhattan, in 2002. That year, Walker applied to Buildings for permits to renovate three apartments and a terrace. Buildings determined that the building’s legal use was an SRO, requiring a certificate of no harassment from HPD before permits could be granted. Consequently, Buildings denied the permits.

AfterWalker sought a certificate from HPD and … <Read More>

DeNiro hotel obtains variance

Contaminated soil remediation caused hardship. 377 Greenwich LLC, with principals Robert DeNiro, Ira Druckier and Richard Born, sought BSA approval for a 59,419- square-foot, seven-story luxury hotel in Tribeca that would exceed floor area, wall height and setback restrictions. DeNiro’s development team had started the permit process in 2003 by first seeking the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s approval for construction of a six-story building within the Tribeca West Historic District. After receiving approval, the six-story project … <Read More>

Developer fails to beat down-zoning deadline

Area rezoned minutes before applicant obtained a new building permit. BSA denied applications to renew a new building permit and extend the time to complete the foundation for a proposed building at 3329 Giles Place in Van Cortlandt Village, the Bronx. After the City Council approved the down-zoning of a 15-block area of Van Cortlandt Village on September 28, 2004, (1 CityLand 4 (Oct. 15, 2004)), Buildings issued a stop-work order to GRA V LLC, … <Read More>

Parking garage approved; Council takes review

Special permit for 83-space garage approved over community opposition. Developer 155 West 21st Street LLC sought Planning Commission approval for an 83-space public parking garage within an as-of- right building that it planned to construct on West 21st Street in Chelsea. The 17,000-square-foot garage space would be located on the ground floor, cellar and sub-cellar of the newly constructed 15- story, 109-unit residential building at 155 West 21st Street. It would replace a vacant two-story … <Read More>

388-foot residential tower approved for West Street

Lower Manhattan parking lot to be replaced with 815,000-squarefoot residential/retail project. The Planning Commission approved a proposal of the Economic Development Corporation and the project developer, Edward J. Minskoff Equities, Inc., to replace a City-owned surface parking lot in Lower Manhattan with an 815,000-square-foot mixed-use project. Located on a 95,565-square-foot site bounded by West, Warren, Greenwich and Murray Streets, the proposal includes 402 condominium and rental units, a 400-space parking garage and 165,000 sq.ft. of … <Read More>

Sanitation lease limited to 2 years

Controversial garage given short-term lease by Commission frustrated with garage’s continued problems. The Department of Sanitation sought approval for the continued operation of its Brooklyn District 3 Garage at 306 Rutledge Street in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. Sanitation has operated this garage under a long-term lease with the private owner since 1945. Even though it is located in Brooklyn’s Community District 1, the garage primarily serves adjacent District 3. With its last lease, granted … <Read More>