85-foot cell phone tower disguised as flagpole. The owner of 186-05 120th Road in the R4 zoned district of Jamaica, Queens sought a special permit to construct an 85-foot wireless communications radio tower with 12 small panel antennae. The owner stated that the tower would be minimally visible over the roof line of surrounding houses, further concealed by trees, and that the mechanical equipment and wiring would be located underground and in the basement of … <Read More>
Variances granted for top two floors, denied for bottom two
Building owner sought to legalize 23 residential units. The owner of a four-story 34,500 sq.ft. building in an M1-1 zoned district located at 47 Thames Street in East Williamsburg, sought to legalize 23 existing residential units on its first through fourth floors.
In support of the variance, the applicant argued that the building is one of the few four-story manufacturing buildings in the area, and its lack of access ramps, loading docks and a commercial … <Read More>
Girls school okayed for private catering business
The cellar of the Bnos Menachem school to house a private onsite catering service and events. Bnos Menachem is a not-for-profit girls school with pre-school to seventh grade classes located in a residentially- zoned area of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. It sought a variance from BSA to allow a private, for-profit catering company, Ragzag, Inc., to operate from the school’s cellar. The caterer would operate after school hours and provide services to the school and the … <Read More>
Park East Day School to expand
8-story building to be built adjacent to existing school. Park East Day School proposed to construct an eight-story, 104 ft. tall building at 162 East 68th Street as a way to expand its existing school located immediately adjacent on East 68th Street. Park East had earlier demolished a three-story building on the site. The new building would include ten classrooms, science labs, computer and media centers, a large library and a caretaker’s apartment on the … <Read More>
Babbo restaurant gets wine cellar
Variance required to expand restaurant. Babbo Realty, LLC, owner of the highly-rated Babbo restaurant at 110 Waverly Place in Greenwich Village’s R7-2 zone, sought to amend a 2002 variance to expand its cellar by 697 sq.ft. for wine storage. Babbo originally sought the 2002 variance because it was unclear from the certificates of occupancy whether the restaurant had operated continually at 110 Waverly. Under the site’s zoning, restaurants are prohibited unless it can be shown … <Read More>
Water taxi dock approved
Dock to be located on the East River next to the Schaefer Landing luxury building. The Planning Commission unanimously approved an application by the Department of Parks and Recreation for the construction of a water taxi dock in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The dock is to be located on the East River adjacent to the waterfront esplanade of the Schaefer Landing luxury apartment building, west of Kent Avenue between South 8th and South 11th Streets.
The floating … <Read More>