Search Results for: Rent Regulation

Changes to 125th Street’s sidewalk cafe rules proposed

125th street street cafe. Image: Courtesy of NYC Department of City Planning.

Amendment would tighten sidewalk cafe regulations within Harlem’s Special 125th Street District to address local congestion concerns. On June 7, 2011, the City Council’s Land Use Committee approved the Department of City Planning’s proposal to modify sidewalk cafe regulations within the Special 125th Street District in Harlem, Manhattan. The Special District comprises 24 blocks of East, Central, and West Harlem generally bounded by … <Read More>

Illegal sign NOV dismissed

329 Wyckoff Avenue Image: CityLand

Building owner unaware that subtenant erected cash loans advertising sign. Buildings issued four notices of violation charging the owner of 329 Wyckoff Avenue in Ridgewood, Queens with illegally erecting an outdoor advertising sign for cash loans. The owner removed the sign from its building immediately after receiving the NOVs. At a hearing, the building’s property manager claimed that the owner had not authorized the sign, and was unaware that the … <Read More>

Howard Goldman Reflects on His Legal Career and Land Use Issues in the City

Howard Goldman’s 35-year career as a land use attorney has ranged from helping native Alaskan communities create coastline regulations to assisting developers navigate New York City’s complex land use process. Aspiring to work for the Natural Resources Defense Council or the Sierra Club, Goldman in 1972  received an ad hoc degree in environmental and pre-law studies from SUNY at Buffalo. Goldman stayed on to earn a law degree, and after graduation he joined Neighborhood … <Read More>

Lefrak Tower residential conversion approved

Image: courtesy of radaris.com.

Buildings claimed that owner miscalculated permissible number of dwelling units for proposed office conversion. The Lefrak Organization in 2010 applied to Buildings for an alteration permit to convert its thirteen-story office tower at 97- 45 Queens Boulevard in Rego Park, Queens to a residential building. Lefrak built the 131,930 sq.ft. tower in 1960 pursuant to BSA approvals. Lefrak planned to convert the building’s top twelve floors to 108 apartments … <Read More>

Meenakshi Srinivasan Discusses Her Role as Chair of the Board of Standards and Appeals

Meenakshi Srinivasan’s background in architecture and urban planning serve her well as chair of the Board of Standards and Appeals. With a staff of 20, including five commissioners, BSA reviews 400 to 500 applications per year, including appeals of final decisions made by the Department of Buildings, applications for variances from the zoning resolution, applications for certain special permits, and vested rights claims.

A native of India, Srinivasan’s early interest in art, science, and mathematics … <Read More>

Key Terms text change OK’d

New Clarification Text Amendment changes the meaning of the term ‘building”. Image: Courtesy of NYC Department of City Planning.

Amendment redefines “development” and “building” and clarifies how the terms are used in order to reflect Planning’s intent. On February 2, 2011, the City Council approved the Department of City Planning’s Key Terms Text Amendment. Planning proposed the 700-page text amendment to ensure that existing regulations are interpreted and applied as originally intended under the … <Read More>