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November 21, 2006

Flouting the Rules Again on 22nd Street


It seems like only last week that we were writing about the flagrant violations at 340 and 342 22nd Street. Oh wait, it was only last week. Guess the developer and the contractor are still reeling from the debilitating penalties b#$%job slap on the wrist they must have gotten for jettisoning asbestos into the air for all the neighbors to breath. Yesterday, they were up to their old tricks, proceeding with mechanical demolition without, you guessed it, permits for mechanical demolition. A passerby felt much better when the foreman told him, "Don't worry, we're doing it real safe." Oh, okay. Where the hell is the DOB?!?!? Let's go to the videotape.
Illegal Mechanical Demo Galore: PART ONE [YouTube] GMAP
More Photos [Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Heights]
Demolition As Usual In Greenwood Heights [Brownstoner]

demolition




Posted by Brownstoner at 8:56 AM | Comments (15)
Categories: Development

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http://tinyurl.com/y4ffkh

From the DOB BIS system. Someone is ON THE TAKE! Illegal mechanical demo went on until dusk.

Blind or paid off, the DOB inspector should be strung up by his/her boot straps.

And by BTW, they are back at it again this morning!

Posted by: lostinbrooklyn at November 21, 2006 9:31 AM

How infuriating. What kind of public shaming would get these guys' attention? Could someone get the local newspapers to report on it? The local TV news team? Good job, by the way, Mr. B.

Posted by: sylvia at November 21, 2006 9:41 AM

mr b:

i know this is an issue the city council is taking up, but i think you should really stay on this until something is done...this is your cause celebre...you have the pulpit, now convert the masses.

Posted by: anon at November 21, 2006 9:45 AM

lostinbrooklyn,
Can you call the police? I have given up on DOB.

Posted by: Anonymous at November 21, 2006 10:21 AM

I'm no fan of the DOB, but it does look like there's a demo permit:

http://tinyurl.com/y7mbr4

Posted by: Anonymous at November 21, 2006 10:46 AM

Anon 10:21am

Police can only enforce SWO's (and barely then).

Yes they have MANUAL demo permits, NOT mechanical ones.

Different permits due to safety hazards, proximity of other buildings and protection of adjacent property, etc.

BIG DIFFERENCE!

Posted by: lostinbrooklyn at November 21, 2006 10:58 AM

Everyone reading this post should call 311 with the complaint and information. If you get about 10 or 20 (hopefull 100!) people calling it in, believe me, something will happen. There is a paper trail of these complaints and the higher ups have to answer to this and why nothing was done.
Start calling people. I know it is tedious, but it works.

Posted by: Anonymous at November 21, 2006 11:09 AM

This is truly annoying and upsetting. I've complained numerous times about many violations I see in my neighborhood (South Slope), such as building a 4th story atop a 3 story building with no permits, no protection to the passers-by on the street (they were using a huge CRANE to lift stuff from the street to the 3rd floor), the DOB's response was "we could not gain access, and all appears well. No violation".

I am just so p$#*#ed off. How the hell do these guys get away with this? I waited MONTHS for my permit for my residential makeover, and payed up the bum for it. These guys go and demolish buildings with asbestos and other crap in them and get that stuff in the air and get nothing except a mere slap on the wrist.

What is the next step? Are there activity groups meeting about this? Where do I sign up to learn more? I truly truly am so upset by this.

Posted by: Truly Truly Upset at November 21, 2006 11:09 AM

Hummmm.......

What annoys me is that the guy filming is clearly a good distance away from the property, and is not harmed in any way by the demolition. So why bother those guys?

Posted by: anon at November 21, 2006 11:48 AM

Because uncontained asbestos has a wonderful habit of spreading through the air to neighboring properties. That's a wonderful thing to expose people to.

Posted by: Anonymous at November 21, 2006 12:38 PM

How much does it cost to buy a DoB inspector? Can you get them at Loew's or Home Depot? What guarantee do you have that once bought they will work in your favor? I think the good people of Brooklyn's South Slope need to pool their money together and buy their own inspector.

Posted by: Anonymous at November 21, 2006 1:50 PM

does anyone actually know of anyone injured by asbestos travelling through the air from neighboring properties? I always thought that asbestos injuries basically occurred only if you were an employee of the asbestos factory.

Posted by: anon at November 21, 2006 3:31 PM

3:31 -- Please tell me you are kidding and that, if you have kids, you would be willing to breathe deeply around a site with potentially dispersed asbestos.

Posted by: Anonymous at November 21, 2006 4:03 PM

11:48 and 3:31 are likely the same - and likely a developer/contractor who engages in this type of nefarious activity. perhaps even the a**hole who is responsible for this exact property.

just remember, what goes around comes around, mofo(s).

Posted by: Anonymous at November 21, 2006 4:15 PM

Latest and greatest...

DON has finally sent out inspectors AND (God forbid) looked at the pix and video and perhaps may have made mistake...and perhaps may have to look into this a bit more closely.

To their credit, they did send out inspectors...just at the wrong times, for the wrong complaints ;)

Time, and more inquiry, will tell. Is the developer's goose cooked (or is that a turkey?)?

And for the record to the "would be troll," yes, from my back yard, it looked like SHIT! Reeked, even though I AM DOWN THE BLOCK, but my neighbors next to the site ARE NOT!

Posted by: lostinbrooklyn at November 22, 2006 12:21 AM

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