NY Elections, Census and Redistricting Update 06/24/24

TOMORROW IS PRIMARY DAY. DON’T FORGET TO VOTE IF YOU HAVE COMPETITIVE CONGRESSIONAL OR STATE LEGISLATIVE CONTESTS WHERE YOU LIVE.

State Commission Meets to Approve New Budget

The Independent Redistricting Commission met in Albany on June 20 to adopt a new budget and to let the public know that they would be busy at work preparing a report to send to the state legislature by end the of the year. The meeting, which lasted less … <Read More>


DOB Announces Penalties for Over 400 Property Owners for Late Parking Structure Report Submissions

On January 18, 2024, the Department of Buildings announced that over 400 property owners had received initial penalties for failing to submit required engineering inspection reports for parking structures located on their properties. Through the Periodic Inspection for Parking Structure (PIPS) program, 1,056 properties in Lower Manhattan, Midtown, and the Upper West Side were required to submit inspection reports to the Department of Buildings before January 1, 2024. 


HPD Announces Funding Secured to Convert Illegal Hotel to Single-Room Occupancy Units for Supportive Housing

235 West 107th Street will be converted to permanent supportive housing. The building was previously used as an illegal hotel. Image Credit: Google Maps.On March 29, 2023, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development announced that $38 million in financing has been secured to change an Upper West Side illegal transient hotel into permanent supportive housing. The property, known as the Morningside Inn and located at 235 West 107th Street, was previously operated as an illegal hotel by the owner. The building will now help provide permanent housing through single occupancy units to adults facing chronic homelessness.


Lesbian Herstory Archives Calendared for Individual Landmark Designation

Already located within the Park Slope Historic District, the building will now be considered for a designation as an Individual Landmark. On June 28, 2022, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to calendar the Lesbian Herstory Archives for designation. Located at 484 14th Street in Park Slope, Brooklyn, this French Renaissance Revival-style rowhouse was constructed in 1908 and has housed the Lesbian Herstory Archives since 1991.


UPDATED: Work on apartment tower to continue after appeal

NOTE: This article was written for and previously appeared in an issue of CityLaw earlier this year, and was chosen for publication to CityLand prior to the issuance of a recent appeal decision that has now overturned this case. Please wait for future coverage of this issue.

Developer received permit to build record-setting skyscraper on the West Side of Manhattan. In November 2017, Extell Development Company unveiled plans to build a massive residential tower for … <Read More>


Owner fined $60,800 for hotel use

Upper West Side residential building converted to hotel. On May 29, 2014, a Department of Buildings inspector cited the owner of a residential building, located at 258 West 97th Street, Manhattan, with illegally converting the building into a hotel for temporary lodging. The building was originally divided into apartment units for three or more families to live independently from one another. The owner converted the building into temporary one-room and two-room lodging. The Buildings … <Read More>