But liking the gallery (Cinders).
Not liking the art
Triangulum 100% Leased!
I suppose this is good news for the developer, but I fail to see why leasing out a rental building on the southside deserves its own press release.
Looking for Love
Thanks to Google’s annual zetgeist report on search trends, we now know that there are a lot more people out there looking for love than looking for love. (And that a lot of them finding love, judging by the “How to…” graph!)
Can’t get past level 10
Test your geography skills – via Kottke, an incredible time waster.
Congestion Pricing DOA?
To be taken with a grain of salt, in that it comes from Newsday, which writes for Long Island commuters. If true, this would be a huge setback for smart planning in NYC. And once again, its the out of city pols who are killing us.
I know there’s a lot of outer borough hatred for the Mayor’s plan too, but it makes a hell of a lot of sense. The plan would include transit upgrades and local parking preferences to protect neighborhoods (like ours) from freeloading car drivers. And for the trades complaining about the cost of getting into the city to do business, balance that against the cost of going to the city for free and losing business because you’re sitting in traffic half the day.
Commerce Bank on Bedford
This is old news, but the Star has an update on the status of the proposed Commerce Bank project at North 4th and Bedford. Short take: the Community Board isn’t willing to support a bad design (and this is a really bad design), particularly one that doesn’t provide the types of affordable housing the neighborhood needs.
DOB and the Scarano plea deal
DOB is now saying that the deal they reached with architect Robert Scarano “had no practical impact whatsoever” on any State charges that might be leveled against the architect. Maybe so, but the deal does nothing to counter the notion that DOB (or at least the Brooklyn office) exists to protect developers, contractors and architects, rather than to regulate construction and enforce zoning rules.
Domino Landmarked
No shenanigans this time around – the City Council has voted to confirm the landmark designation of Domino.
BSA Allows Finger Building to Proceed
I just learned that the BSA has approved the application to resume construction at 144 North 8th Street (the Finger Building). BSA’s decision was based on a letter from DOB Deputy Counsel Felicia Miller, stating in part:
the permit issued in connection with Job # 301784399 for a 16 story building was a validly issued permit. We understand further that there is pending litigation regarding the applicant’s right to use roof top space at 115 Berry and 138 North 8th Street, as reflected in the plans. If they should loose that litigation, then the applicant will be in violation of open space requirements to the extent they decide to continue with construction beyond 10 stories. For this reason, there is a stop work Order in place for construction beyond 10 stories
144 North 8th Street (aka The Finger Building)
Photo: A Test of Will
The building permit for 144 North 8th, issued prior to the 2005 waterfront rezoning, expired in May, 2007 (two years after the enactment of the rezoning). Today’s BSA decision allows construction to proceed on the entire project. However, the pending litigation of which Miller speaks precludes any construction above the 10th story.
Here’s the kicker: for more than two years now local residents have wanted to sue to stop this project. Such a suit would have to be brought before BSA, and would be based on the fact that the building plans were not valid when approved (via self certification by Scarano Architects). But the neighbors can’t bring a case in front of BSA until DOB issues a “final determination” that the permit is valid. Now, one would think that a letter from a Deputy Counsel at DOB to the BSA – the very letter upon which BSA is basing its decision to allow the project to go forward – would constitute a “final determination”.
But it doesn’t.
According to DOB, a final certification can only come from the Brooklyn Borough Commissioner. Until such a determination is made, the public can’t challenge the validity of the permit in front of BSA. However, BSA is free to allow the permit to be renewed based on a not-so-final determination of the validity of the original permit by a DOB deputy counsel.
And the Deputy Counsel Borough Commissioner has, for over two years now, refused to issue such a determination.
Church of the Ascension Coat Drive
Via Heather, the Church of the Ascension is accepting coats for the annual NY Cares coat drive.