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October 18, 2006

Head-Pounding Nightmare on 15th Street


It's one thing to read stories and see pictures of some of the nightmare development sites around our borough. It's quite another to hear the deafening noise that unlucky neighbors have to live with. So without further ado, we direct your attention to three minutes in the life of a South Slope resident with the misfortune to live next to the LoCicero project at 406-408 15th Street. Anyone got an Advil?
Welcome To My Nightmare [YouTube]
More Wreckage on 15th Street [Brownstoner]
Reckless 15th Street Excavation Forces Evac [Brownstoner]




Posted by Brownstoner at 10:15 AM | Comments (24)
Categories: Development

Comments

I don't understand your issue.
Do you know of any earth moving machine that don't make loud noises?
You travel, don't you? So the subway makes noise, the airplanes make noise.
You reside in a home, right? So that home had to be built, and the machines involved in building them make noise.
I don't understand the issue here. If the work is being conducted at the appropriate times (7:30am - 5pm) then why make a stink about it. Do you have a personal issue with the developer that we're unaware of? Because if you do, then may I suggest a boxing ring match between the two of you where all proceeds go to developing noise filters for large heavy machinery

Posted by: Anonymous at October 18, 2006 11:16 AM

11:16, you are either the developer or unfamiliar with the myriad of illegal and dangerous things that have gone on at this location.

Posted by: Anonymous at October 18, 2006 12:00 PM

By the way, construction noise begins at 7:am and goes till 6pm. There are specific laws dealing with construction noise, plain and simple. Its not a matter of subjective discomfort. Furthermore, the contractor is not using the equipment in a correct manner. I watched the video and the guy is trying to dislodge the dirt from the drilling bit. I think I counted 54 bangs. Thats got to be messing up that rig over time. Judging by the poor quality of sound on youtube the noise could be even louder to someone actually on the site. This is not pile driving this is a boring technique specifically designed to reduce noise and vibration. Maybe we should ask the people living (or who used to live) in 1504 8th Ave. what they think.

Posted by: neighbor at October 18, 2006 12:41 PM

Construction machines that make noise? No way! I don't believe it!

Bitch, bitch, bitch... bitch some more.
Rolls eyes.

Posted by: Anonymous at October 18, 2006 12:48 PM

12pm, uhhhh those isues are one thing, this is another.

Yup, it sucks. Big macheens make big noise. So freakin what people? How about a video of them doing that at midnight? then i will rage along side you. Until then, blahblahblah.

Posted by: Anonymous at October 18, 2006 1:05 PM

Perhaps instead of being a shut-in, the complainer could get out of bed, take a shower, get dressed in clean clothes, and wait for this one - get out of his/her apartment when it gets unbearable.

Take a walk, get coffee, food, visit friends, or... I don't know, get a job.

Posted by: Anonymous at October 18, 2006 1:38 PM

Bearing witness to the birth to death cycle on an individual lot basis in an urban environment such as Brooklyn comes with the territory. The constant destruction and rebuilding of a densely populated local is what makes that place habitable in the first place. Density is a good thing. It is where diversity and resultant creativity thrive. To link the noise associated with this particular development with past misdeeds of the developer is illogical. So is the observation "neighbor" makes - contractor is not using equipment in correct manner. What building code, city ordinance, municipal or qaulity of life law applies to that statement?

Posted by: Anonymous at October 18, 2006 1:53 PM

This past Sunday construction was going on on my block. Steel I-beams banging around. Since city offices closed on sunday - how does one get no sunday work enforced? Anyone dealt with this before?

Posted by: Anonymous at October 18, 2006 2:05 PM

To the above anon person posting at 1:05 how about 10pm at night? I know it's not midnight. Please start your ranting my dear friend. Here is video proof. You can check with the 72d precinct for sure, they were the one's who forced them to stop against their will...otherwise maybe midnight?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R25nkpNOFSA

Posted by: Anonymous at October 18, 2006 2:10 PM

ANON 1:38 when the noise and vibration got too loud we did leave our apartments....wait for it ........ .......It was called a VACATE ORDER

Posted by: 1504 resident at October 18, 2006 2:20 PM

Anon at 2:05, I always call 311 when I have a problem with too much noise late at night. They forward the complaint to the local precinct. Maybe you could do the same thing, deal with it as a noise/quality of life problem and not just a stop-work problem?

Posted by: sylvia at October 18, 2006 2:41 PM

Walking by the site last Monday and saw an exact replication of this video. @ mins of drilling, 5 mins of banging...I especially like the operator standing under the drill, looking up. Real safe!

OK, here's the RANT:
For all of yose who thin folks bitch, bitch, bitch...lemmie paint a picture for you.

1. illegal plans filed with DOB
2. site gets shut down
3. rezoning
4. developer buys site next door to original site
5. files new plans, gets approved
6. begins illegal demo, not only on the new site, but the original one as well
7. living hell for the neighbors who catch this "nice guy" on their land tearing down their fences, trees, etc.
8. DOB shuts the site down
9. Demo and digging continues, regardless of the SWO
10. DOB shuts the site down again.
11. months pass, water fills up in holes
12. Work begins again, pile driving begins to damage adjacent properties
13. DOB shuts the site down again.
14. Digging continues, regardless of the SWO
13. DOB shuts the site down again (trend here)
14. Legal digging and pile driving begins again
15. Vibrations crack foundation at 1508 8th Ave, DOB shuts down the site
16. residents have to vacate property, many with no alternate housing
17. land lord allows them to come back "at your own risk"
18. DOB installs crack monitors to make sure the house is livable
19. someone tapers with the monitors
20. work continues, developer tears down 2 street trees, illegally.
21. video taping begins

This has been over a YEAR AND A HALF period of time and they have not even laid one brick.

Come camp out over on 15th/16th St. for a few days with the locals and tell me honestly that they have no reason to bitch or complaint.

As far as "getting outta bed, going for a walk or getting a job" comment, many of these folks work from home and even if they don't why the hell should they have to deal with this BS day in day out.

If this was a responsible development project, then hey deal with it (I have 5 buildings going up around me). But is not. The developer is a BAD MAN as reported on this blog, others and in the news media.

So, there's my bitch...bitch...bitch.

Posted by: lostinbrooklyn at October 18, 2006 3:16 PM

Oh, I forgot...

22. video gets linked from youtube to brownstoner

I should point out that photos and videos have been taking during this entire process, documenting all of the terrible BS these folks are living through.

Posted by: lostinbrooklyn at October 18, 2006 3:19 PM

To lostinbrooklyn:

Now that we know all the information does the complaints make sense. Thanks for the info.

Posted by: Anonymous at October 18, 2006 5:18 PM

To add to LostInBklyn-
If I am not mistaken - The original plans were submitted with expired extra height allowances and then the next set of plans for the adjoining property were the exact same-illegal plans.
Basically what it come down to is the fact that if the neighbors don't waste half there lives being harassed while trying to keep track of all the illegal activity then these, so called Developers, are allowed to do whatever they please. Including-building illegal buildings, destroying adjoining properties, destroying peoples lives and even killing people.
And to top it all off the people who's lives are being destroyed are expected to pay higher taxes to facilitate all of these Illegal Developments while the Developer's are given a Tax break. I don't see any of this happening next door to Mr. Bloombags house. Or any of the Developers houses either for that matter.

Posted by: My2Cents at October 18, 2006 8:13 PM

Jack LoCicero is a cretin who also (illegally) built a 9-storey turd on 22nd street bet. 5th and 6th. in south slope, amongst 2 and 3 storey homes. The Village Voice did a big piece on this guy more than a year ago, but nothing happened. In the article he was exposed for violating zoning laws big time by lying on the building permit applications, but basically said to the reporter "I take the 5th!"

Brooklyn development is shifty and unregulated, and the City of New York doesn't care. If they did, then LoCicero would have to remove 5 or 6 storeys from his 22nd street "development."

Hey Marty Markowitz? Where are you? Jennifer Givner, the mouthpiece of the DOB? What gives? I remember the Village Voice article said that the DOB was "at a loss" to explain how permits were issued for 22nd street. Mayor Bloomberg? Do you care about cleaning up corruption in New York City? Is anyone out there interested in stopping someone from leaving a wake of damage everywhere he plys his "trade"?

Posted by: Anonymous at October 18, 2006 8:46 PM

Brooklyn development is shifty and unregulated, and the City of New York doesn't care.

yep arson, illegal, dangerous construction, destruction of historic properties - bloomberg admin is criminally negligent they have a goal of growth at any cost including the future.

Posted by: Anonymous at October 19, 2006 10:43 AM

Anon @ 10:43AM.

That's rather severe statement about the Bloomberg admin. I wouldn't go that far but there could be improvements for sure. Lets not forget that the prior admins didn't even bother to recognize there is anything outside of Manhattan for how many decades?

I wouldn't get too upset, if these buildings are truly awful, they will be bought and replaced with something else. You might disagree with this one but that's why I love NYC.

Posted by: Anonymous at October 19, 2006 12:17 PM

During the day? Not allll that rantworthy. (The scum developer, surely rantworthy)

10pm? Extremely rantworthy.

Hell, 8pm is very rantworthy.

I now begin ranting.

Posted by: Anonymous at October 19, 2006 2:14 PM

Look, no one is disputing this sites issues, but to make a big deal about something as noise is a bit petty brownstoner.
Deafening noise is acceptable during the day because you can will yourself to hear it or not

Posted by: Anonymous at October 19, 2006 4:25 PM

Anon 4:25pm

"Deafening noise is acceptable during the day because you can will yourself to hear it or not"

WTF? Noise is noise. Unless you are some kind of yogi, the MASSIVE earthshaking booming that goes on is not normal construction noise.

Now I must go meditate on this and try to drown out all the construction noise I HAVE AROUND ME on 3 sides in my nabe.

Deep breath in...1...2...3

Deep breath out...4...5...6

Posted by: lostinbrooklyn at October 19, 2006 4:37 PM

TO Anon @ 10:43AM (and anyone else who beleives that the City or the natural course of events will make everything right)-

The Buildings are awful and besides being illegal many are death traps as well. They may very well be bought but they are not likely to be replaced, unless the Administration decides to stop protecting these criminals.
Why? Because many of these buildings are being built with more FAR (Floor Area Ratio) than they are allowed by law. Once they are built the city very rarely if ever does anything to make the Developer bring the Building up to code.
Basically the City sits back and lets them build illegally then say's "what do you want us to do? Make them take 5 floors off of a finished and occupied building."
The common sense answer is "Yes." But it never happens so the rest of the Community is left to Finance and look at a huge Eye sore which they told the City, from the beginning, to rain in.

Posted by: My2Cents at October 19, 2006 4:52 PM

For even more outrageous proof that this project is operating with reckless disregard for the neighbors and the safety of it's own workers, check out IMBY's newest video.

Posted by: Anonymous at October 20, 2006 9:50 AM

Once again, brownstoner has managed to make this noise issue into his/ her own with the developer. Personal qualms are so petty

Posted by: Anonymous at October 20, 2006 2:53 PM

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