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October 28, 2008

More 360 Smith Action at BSA Today

360-Smith-1008.jpgAfter a no-decision hearing last month, the Board of Standards and Appeals is holding another session this morning to consider developer Billy Stein's request that his building at 360 Smith Street (aka the Oliver House) in Carroll Gardens be allowed to rise 70 feet, as the code dictated when he planned the project, rather than the 55 feet that the recent downzoning dictates. Gowanus Lounge is hearing that "the fix is in" for the developer. Predictions? UPDATE: Curbed is reporting that the BSA again postponed making a decision; next meeting is scheduled for November 25.




Posted by Brownstoner at 9:59 AM | Comments (6)
Categories: Carroll Gardens, Development

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Comments

I bet he gets the height.

But will Capital One fund the construction loan?????

Posted by: aabklyn at October 28, 2008 10:13 AM

My understanding is that they filed both a BZY application (for vesting) and an A application for financial hardship.

The BZY will be tossed due to lack of completion of a foundation, but the A has a good chance. If they can show financial hardship that will either make Mr. Stein make far less $$ (boo-hoo) or perhaps provide reason that he would abandon the project, then he'll get the variance.

Unfortunate that A applications exist, but we do have a Constitution and this is a free market economy, well that is unless you are a bank.

Posted by: Action Jackson at October 28, 2008 10:15 AM

The BSA is totally corrupt

Posted by: werner at October 28, 2008 10:19 AM

I've always said that he will get to build to 70.

Posted by: Carol Gardens at October 28, 2008 12:02 PM

all this commotion about 15 ft. Seems like waste of time.
This on a corner of a commercial street above a subway entrance and the next block down the elevated train begins and climbs to way more than 70 ft.
If in middle of block somewhere I could understand - but this seems too much protest over what will be improvement for an ugly corner (just look across Smith is want to see more ugly- why not protest to make that nice instead?)

Posted by: Petebklyn at October 28, 2008 3:29 PM

Yeah, the "fix" is in. The BSA has plenty of room to allow this valid and well-conceived project. Thats some fix. All of Mr. Stein's development costs should count toward his application. The guy was late getting the foundation poured because he changed his building several times in consultation with the "community". Thats what he gets for listening to their input, he should have just gone ahead and poured. "Community" in this case means the people who stay up late at night opposing other people's developments. People who go to work in the morning and don't have time for endless "activism" are clearly not part of the community. To build anything smaller in this space is a crime against city life. Good Luck Mr. Stein.

Posted by: Niccolo Machiavelli at October 28, 2008 8:41 PM

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