In August, a tipster told us that additional floors were in the works for a series of buildings owned by Terrence Lowenberg of Icon Realty on East Ninth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue ... No. 329 ... No. 331 ... No. 333 ... No. 335.
However, at the time, the DOB hadn't approved any of the additional floors for these addresses dating back to early last year.
But that has changed. Off the Grid reported last Thursday that the Board of Standards and Appeals OK'd the rooftop additions.
Per Off the Grid, which is the blog of the Greenwich Village Society of Historical Preservation (GVSHP):
The owner of the remarkably intact tenements at 329-335 East 9th Street sought variances from the Board of Standards and Appeals to build additional floors without full compliance with the Multiple Dwelling Law which requires updated fire and safety measures when tenements are enlarged beyond 6 stories. These building have retained their cornices and façade ornamentation and are on a historic block of East 9th Street between 1st & 2nd Avenues that is also very much intact with buildings of cohesive scale and heights.
Despite the strong arguments against these additions being permitted from GVSHP, Councilmember Mendez, and the East Village Community Coalition, the Board of Standards and Appeals voted in favor of permitting these additions.
In addition, in another doozy, the Board of Standards and Appeals decide to allow illegally built additions to remain at the controversial 514-516 E. Sixth St. Ben Shaoul's Magnum Real Estate Group is behind the enlargements.
Previously on EV Grieve:
East Ninth Street parking lot will yield to 6-floor residential building
The job of the Board of Standards and Appeals is to consider granting exceptions to the zoning code called variances. The board has five commissioners, all appointed by the mayor for 6 year terms. Charges critics level at the board usually involve being corrupt and/or incompetent. Nothing new here. Esp considering that the real estate industry led by Jerry Speyer that paved the way for a third Bloomberg term.
ReplyDeleteBoard of No Standards needs to clean up their act, WTF???
ReplyDeleteI only wonder how cheap they got em.
Yippee! More illegal hotel rooms for Terry & Toddy!
ReplyDelete