Search Results for: Variance

Dispute over synagogue’s condo development

Congregation Shearith Israel seeks a variance from BSA to construct a nine-story, mixed-use building in the Central Park West Historic District. Image: Platt Byard Dovell White Architects LLP.

Neighbors claim congregation’s program needs could be accommodated by an as-of-right building. The Congregation Shearith Israel Synagogue, a City landmark located at 8 West 70th Street within the Central Park West Historic District, sought a variance from lot coverage, yard, height and setback zoning regulations in order … <Read More>

BSA finds hardship for new synagogue

BSA allows three-story synagogue in Midwood. Merkaz, a nonprofit religious institution, sought a variance from yard, FAR, lot coverage, height and setback zoning regulations in order to construct a three-story synagogue with an accessory pre-school at 1739 Ocean Avenue in the Midwood neighborhood of Brooklyn. The synagogue would serve a 20- family congregation, while the school would offer religious education for children and adults.

Citing concerns over the impact the development would have on neighborhood … <Read More>

BSA finds hardship for YMCA in former courthouse

YMCA sought to expand gym, install cardio center. YMCA of Greater New York sought a variance for its building at 69-02 64th Street from lot coverage and side yard requirements to facilitate its expansion. The building, a former courthouse characterized by a horseshoe-shape and a narrow central courtyard, is already out of compliance with lot coverage and side yard requirements for community facilities within an R5 zoning district. The expansion would fill in the open … <Read More>

BSA finds no hardship despite 26 year vacancy

Owner sought to convert cellar space on St. Marks Place to retail. The owner of an East Village residential building sought to amend an existing variance to allow retail use in a vacant cellar space. The space, a 1,000-square-foot portion of a cellar located at 8 St. Marks Place, is currently under a 1970 variance which allows office use, but prohibits any business signs on the exterior of the building other than a small, … <Read More>

Bronx affordable housing projects gain BSA approval

Developer claims proposed 140 units needed to meet funding requirements. The Doe Fund, Inc., a not-for- profit that provides job training and housing for New York City homeless, applied to BSA to construct two affordable housing projects on Webster Avenue in the Bronx. The lots’ commercial zoning prohibited residential development, triggering the need for a variance.

Under the Doe Fund’s plan, the eight-story 41,114-square-foot building proposed for 3349 Webster Avenue would contain 84 single-room occupancy … <Read More>

Developer wins right to convert floors to residential units

Twelve-story mixed-use building to be partially converted. The owner of a building on West 30th Street in the Garment District received a variance from BSA to convert three-and- a-half floors from commercial/ manufacturing use to residential use. The proposed conversion would add three new residential units and enlarge an existing unit, giving the 26,900-square-foot mixed-use building a total residential floor area of 17,504 sq. ft.

The owner argued that the present commercial/manufacturing zoning was not … <Read More>