Committee Hears Testimony from DOB on 21 Pieces of Construction Safety Legislation

Housing Committee hears testimony on 21 pieces of legislation to address 30 deaths at construction sites in past two years, including requiring apprenticeship training citywide. On January 31, 2017, the City Council’s Committee on Housing and Buildings heard testimony on a large package of bills concerning construction safety in New York City. Chair Jumaane Williams began the eight-hour long hearing by reading the names of the 30 workers that lost their lives in construction accidents … <Read More>


City Moves Forward with New School in East New York

The Mayor’s Office announced the public review period for the construction of a new 1,000 seat school in East New York. On January 3, 2016, Mayor Bill de Blasio, joined by City Council Member Rafael Espinal, announced the start of the public review process for a new 1,000 seat school in the East New York section of Brooklyn. The proposed school comes as part of the larger East New York Neighborhood Plan which was adopted<Read More>


Grand Central Upgrades and One Vanderbilt Construction Begins

City Officials and developer broke ground on the new One Vanderbilt office building and $220 million transit upgrade of Grand Central. On October 18, 2016, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney and Council Member Dan Garodnick joined the developer SL Green for the on-site groundbreaking ceremony. The new office tower will reach 1,401 feet and cover the city block west of Grand Central. The tower is expected to achieve … <Read More>


BSA Conditionally Approves Enlargement of Religious School

The variance permits the construction of a new floor to accommodate the School’s programmatic needs. On March 22, 2016, the Board of Standards and Appeals conditionally approved a variance to construct an additional floor onto the Bais Yaakov D’ Chasidei Gur religious school, located at 1975 51st Street in the Borough Park neighborhood of Brooklyn. The four-story building will be expanded into a five-story building to accommodate the School’s existing students and anticipated increase in … <Read More>


Hudson River Park Pier 54 Re-construction Approved

Hudson River Park Trust agreed with Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg to reconstruct Pier 54 with a larger footprint and with performance spaces that could charge market fees. Pier 54 is a part of the Hudson River Park and is located on West Street and West 13th Street, Manhattan. The pier was built in 1906 for the Cunard Steamship Company, became deteriorated, and was partially dismantled by the Hudson River Park in 2013. … <Read More>


BSA Conditionally Approves Variance for Addition of Gymnasium and Play Roof to The Chapin School

In response to neighborhood concerns, the Board conditioned the zoning variance on several limitations meant to reduce the risk of excess noise and increase pedestrian safety. On October 16, 2016, the Board of Standards and Appeals approved with conditions a request by The Chapin School, Ltd. for a zoning variance to construct a three-story addition to its existing school, located at 100 East End Avenue on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.  The Chapin School, … <Read More>