Court allowed a relaxed standard of review for area variances. George Pantelidis, owner of a five-story townhouse at 116 East 73rd Street in Manhattan, after receiving a permit from Buildings, began construction of a glass-enclosed staircase that connected the second and third floor of the townhouse through the rear yard. From the start of construction, the next door neighbor vigorously opposed the glass enclosure. At Buildings, the neighbor’s objections were addressed by the Borough Commissioner … <Read More>
Seaman Cottage designated a landmark
- Seaman Cottage in Staten Island moved to Historic Richmond. Photo: LPC.
Staten Island house moved to Historic Richmond Village prior to being designated. Seaman Cottage, a two-story Greek Revival Style house constructed in 1836, which had been relocated and re-calendared by Landmarks, was designated an individual landmark on December 13, 2005. While many similar wood-framed clapboard houses were built in Staten Island during the 1830s, few well-preserved examples remain today. Slated to be destroyed, … <Read More>
Addition approved for Fifth Avenue Museum
Two-story addition to be constructed in museum courtyard. Landmarks issued a binding report approving a two-story addition and access ramp to be constructed at the Museum of the City of New York. The Museum, a designated landmark located at 1220 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, was designed by Joseph Freedlander and built between 1929-1930 in a Late-Georgian style.
In its application, the Museum proposed to construct a glass-walled, two-story addition in its south courtyard. The addition … <Read More>
Landmarks designates Fieldston Historic District
Planned 1909 Bronx suburb designated. At a January 10, 2006 Landmarks meeting, the Commission unanimously voted to designate the Fieldston community in the Bronx as a historic district. Fieldston is an example of an early twentieth-century planned community that evolved to incorporate modern design as well as Medieval, English, Tudor, Dutch, and Mediterranean architecture. Landmarks Chair Robert Tierney hailed the designation as part of the Commission’s “goal to designate landmarks and historic districts throughout the … <Read More>
Certificates of Occupancy revoked
Developer did not follow plans filed with Buildings. Between February and April 2002, Buildings issued C of Os for ten buildings within a multi-building residential development along 34th Avenue in Flushing, Queens. Buildings later found that the buildings were not built according to approved plans and sought to revoke the C of Os. Buildings argued that the approved plans incorrectly identified a floor as a mezzanine and that a fourth floor was inappropriately constructed as … <Read More>
BSA approves variance at RKO Keith Flushing Theater site
Developer gets variance to build a 200-unit, mixed-use development on site occupied by historic theater. Boymelgreen Developers, owner of two lots located at the intersection of Northern Boulevard and Main Street in Flushing, Queens, totaling 41,880 square feet, sought to construct a 200-unit, seventeen- story, mixed-use building with accessory parking. The building will be constructed on two currently improved lots. The first lot contains a two-story commercial building that will be demolished. The second lot … <Read More>