High sewer costs justified variance for senior residence

Senior housing to be constructed on Clove Road in Staten Island. Developers sought a variance from BSA for a three-story, 40-foot high, 34,542-square-foot senior housing facility at 908 Clove Road in Staten Island. The proposed senior residence exceeded total floor area, street wall height, total height, curb cut, and driveway width.

At BSA, the developers, R. Randy Lee and Frank Naso, argued that the site’s 603-foot distance from the nearest sewer connection significantly increased construction … <Read More>


75-unit affordable housing project approved

HPD project approved after sponsor redesigned building. The City Council approved an application by the Department of Housing and Preservation for disposition of three Cityowned lots at 1510 Jesup Avenue in Morris Heights in the Bronx, for construction by Highbridge Community Development Corporation of a six-story, residential building for low-income seniors and the physically disabled.

The project required modification to obtain the Planning Commission’s approval. At the Commission hearing, Chair Amanda M. Burden and Commissioner … <Read More>


DCP Hosts First Info Session for “City of Yes” Text Amendments

On October 17, 2022, the New York City Department of City Planning (DCP) held an online information session to discuss Mayor Eric Adams’ “City of Yes” initiatives. The “City of Yes” was first announced back in June and focuses on three key areas of reform: Carbon Neutrality, Economic Opportunity, and Housing Opportunity. The amendments highlight the mayor’s desire to move away from “Not in My Backyard,” or “NIMBY” policies that restrict the development … <Read More>


Council Hears Proposal For Bruckner Expressway Development

Located in a low-density area with few affordable homes, the four proposed apartment buildings would require a controversial rezoning. On September 7, 2022, the City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises held a public hearing to discuss a proposed rezoning in Throggs Neck, Bronx. If the rezoning is approved by the City Council, developer Throggs Neck Associates, LLC will construct four mixed-use apartment buildings at four different sites off the Bruckner Expressway. The project area … <Read More>


NYC Mayoral Candidates Land Use Policy Recap

The Mayoral Election will help shape the City’s land use and housing policymaking decisions. Between now and June 20th, early voting is available for the NYC Primary, in which New Yorkers will help decide who will be the next Mayor of New York City. Over the course of their campaigns, mayoral candidates have developed and shared their positions on a variety of land use and housing issues including developing affordable housing, handling the eviction and <Read More>


Appellate Division Provides Major Win for Two Bridges Developers

Two Bridges development gets Appellate Division ruling but two lawsuits remain pending. On August 27, 2020, the First Department’s Appellate Division unanimously ruled in favor of a Lower East Side development that would consist of four towers, 11,000 square feet of retail, and over 2,700 residential units. Of the 2,700 residential units, approximately 700 units will be dedicated to affordable housing and 200 units will be set aside for senior housing. The project’s development group … <Read More>