Mid-town hotel,marketing itself as a spa/fitness-getaway, had no permit for its spa. The Affinia Dumont Hotel, advertising itself as “New York City’s only Executive Fitness Suite Hotel,” had illegally operated a spa and gym without a permit since May 2004. Located at 150 East 34th Street, the 37-story hotel concentrates its marketing and hotel services around its spa and gym, offering spa packages, in-room massages and a “fitness concierge” to arrange gym and spa services … <Read More>
BSA rejects waivers for L.I.C. apartment bldg.
Queens developer claimed out-of- date layout made apartments unfit. A Queens developer proposed to demolish two adjacent two-family buildings in Long Island City, replacing them with a five-story, 20- unit building that required waivers from BSA for floor area, yard, height, setback and open space.
The proposal was strongly opposed by the community, Borough President Helen Marshall, Community Board 1 and Council Members Peter F. Vallone, Jr. and Tony Avella. Faced with community opposition, the … <Read More>
BSA approves 7-story SoHo residential building
Fire-damaged building in historic SoHo to be restored and increased in height. Morty Lipkis, owner of 44 Mercer Street, a 2,480-square-foot lot in SoHo, proposed to replace a vacant fire-damaged building zoned for manufacturing with a 102-foot tall, seven-story mixed-use building. The proposed building would serve residential and retail uses with 12,549- square-feet of floor space, requiring variances for use and rear yard size. The site’s current two-story structure abuts a rear building and offers … <Read More>
Commission votes to end commercial option
Twenty-one areas to lose commercial zoning overlay. In 2003, Mayor Michael Bloomberg formed the Staten Island Growth Management Task Force to examine over-development in the borough. The Task Force’s recommendations resulted in new zoning controls adopted in 2004 restricting the size and density of Staten Island residential development. A loophole remained for lots within residential zones that were also subject to commercial district overlays. Along with allowing commercial uses on these lots, the commercial overlays … <Read More>
313-Unit Housing Project to Front Coney Island Boardwalk
First unsubsidized project built in Coney Island in past 50 years gets Commission approval. Coney Island developer, David Weisz & Sons, sought to rezone five lots along Surf Avenue and Coney Island Beach to allow the construction of two seven-story residential condominium towers with 313 market-rate units to be called Ocean Dreams. When compiled, the five lots would comprise a 133,843-square-foot development site stretching from West 35th to West 37th Streets along the Riegelmann Boardwalk.… <Read More>
Staten Island shopping center approved
Mall to be built on 7.7 acres of vacant woodland. Guido Passarelli sought Planning Commission approval to construct a 136,271- square-foot shopping and office center on a 7.7-acre site of undeveloped woodland in the Charleston section of Staten Island. The five proposed buildings would contain a home improvement store, a discount department store, retail outlets and office space, and would include a 454-space parking lot. Access to the site, which is bound by Veterans Road … <Read More>