twenty foot tall fence?

Are vines growing through that wall?

Posted by: IMBY at March 19, 2010 11:22 AM in response to Interior Demo Part 3

Looking for an insurance policy or just more ammunition?

Be careful for you may reap what you sow...

Posted by: IMBY at March 18, 2010 10:53 AM in response to Illegal Renovations?

We have a crepe myrtle that does fine in the sun of our South facing front garden. Make sure they cut the concrete neatly and the 2x8's will work, but i like cobble stone borders the best. We have about 100 or so darwin tulips with a border of muscari .

make sure you have access to a hose. You might bury a soaker irrigation loop if your garden is big enough. Mulching helps.

When we built our garden we found the old fill pipe for the oil tank. I'm sure the ground is toxic as hell, but the flowers don't seem to mind

Posted by: IMBY at March 18, 2010 10:45 AM in response to Building a Front Garden

Friends just sold their Brooklyn new construction condo
million + all cash deal,
they made money two years in,
work relocation.
On market 6 months.

Posted by: IMBY at March 16, 2010 4:39 PM in response to Bullish Words from One Brownstone Brooklyn Broker

All the violations AND fines will be dismissed. Mark my words.

Posted by: IMBY at March 16, 2010 4:23 PM in response to DOB's Most Violated?

MM, always enjoy your writing. If you ever make it to Milwaukee, check out historic Turner Hall, its spectacular ballroom is now a live music venue. I think the Turners influence in Milwaukee began in the 1850's as well. Friday night fish fries at Turner Hall are also a must. Order the Perch.

Way before Obama took office, Milwaukee had a very popular three term mayor, Frank P. Zeidler, who ran and was elected as a member of the Socialist Party.

Posted by: IMBY at March 16, 2010 4:14 PM in response to Walkabout: Turn, Turn, Turn Verein

Losing the front hall vestibule is problematic in NYC climate. Don't know how I would be able to keep that entrance way looking "clean" with two little kids and their coats and mittens. Not sure I would want to walk around that island to be able to sit down on couch. Wall paper would not be my first choice... on a kitchen ceiling. Might be one of those spaces you have to physically experience to understand better. Surfaces... surfaces... I need more surfaces.
Like the bedroom/bath. No pictures of the renovated garden?
Thanks for sharing your work on Brownstoner.

Posted by: IMBY at March 15, 2010 3:19 PM in response to Architect's Journal: Park Slope Brownstone

Buy yourself some nice wire snips and then start a snippin'

Posted by: IMBY at March 15, 2010 1:37 PM in response to Wires and More Wires

Broker sounds desperate. Let us know what happens.

Posted by: IMBY at March 15, 2010 1:35 PM in response to Broker's Fee Deposit

There has to be more than two posts anchored in the ground along the length of the fence.
The way to ask him is to say that it looks like the bracket system used is not strong enough and a new way will have to be considered. Think of it as a problem to be solved and not about confrontation. Last nights winds were the strongest I have ever seen since the tornado.

Posted by: IMBY at March 14, 2010 1:09 PM in response to Neighbor Fence Dragging Mine

There currently is a stop work order on the developer.

http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/PropertyProfileOverviewServlet?bin=3855756&requestid=2

Architect: NATALIYA DONSKOY
Business Name: ND ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
Business Phone: 718-701-2638
Business Address: 66 KNICKERBOCKER AVENUE Brooklyn NY 11237
ECB violations:
Specific Violation Condition(s) and Remedy:
FAILURE TO SAFEGUARD ALL PERSON AND PROPERTY AFFECTED BY CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS. NOTED: AT TIME OF INSPECTION JOB SITE CLOSED. OBSERVED BARRICADES FOR TEMP PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY IN DISARRAY AND NO REFLECTIVE

Specific Violation Condition(s) and Remedy:
27-1031(A)(B). FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY SUPPORT ADJOINING GROUND AND STRUCTURES AFFECTED BY EXCAVATION OPERATIONS 310067192 UNDERPINNING. NOTED CONCRETE UNDERPINNING 1)NOT AS PER PLAN BULGERING AT EXP 2 152 SO 4 ST

Specific Violation Condition(s) and Remedy:
PUBLIC NUISANCE/DAMPER PLACE.CONSTRUCTION FENCE #310067192 ERECTED ATFRONT OF CONSTRUCTION SITE W/BARBED WIRE INSTALLED ON IT SIZE APPROX 150 LINEAR FEET.BARBED WIRE,DEFECTIVE ( )AT SEVERAL PLACES

Specific Violation Condition(s) and Remedy:
27-1009A. FAILURE TO SAFEGUARD PUBLIC AND PROPERTY AFFECTED BY CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS. NOTED ALT2#310067192 1)AT FRONT GATE EXP 1 AT SO 4 STREET GATES SWING TO PUBLIC WALKWAY. 2)AT INTERIOR EXP 4 REAR OF 357 B

Specific Violation Condition(s) and Remedy:
FAILURE TO FILE 10F TR-1 PRIOR TO START OF CONTROLLED WORK. (CONCRETEUNDERPINNING). NOTED PROCESS OF UNDERPINNING TO 152 SO 4 ST FOOTING/FOUNDATION AT 152 EXP 3. REMEDY: STOP WORK FILE TR-1 FORTHWITH.

Specific Violation Condition(s) and Remedy:
FAILURE TO MAIN ADEQUATE HOUSEKEEPING PER SECTION REQUIREMENTS.CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL AND DEBRIS NOT PROPERLY STORED OR REMOVED FROM SITE.NOTED:EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF DEBRIS THROUGHOUT ENTIRE SITE.CONSISTING OF RA

Specific Violation Condition(s) and Remedy:
B206,BC3304.8 MISSCELL VIOLATIONS,EXCAVATION UNIT ADEQUATELY DRAINED OF RAIN WATER AND OR SUBSURFACE WATER.NOTED:CONT/OWNER FAILED TO ADEQUATELY DRAIN SITE OF ANY RAIN OR SUBFACE WATER.SUBSURFACE WATER EXISTING

Specific Violation Condition(s) and Remedy:
JOB SITE FENCE AT THIS CONSTRUCTION SITE HAS BEEN CROWNED W/RAZOR WIREWHICH WAS OBSERVED TO BE HANGING OVER THE TEMPORARY SIDEWALK ON SOUTH4TH ST AT APPROX 7' IN PLACES. REMEDY:REMOVE RAZOR WIRE FROM THE FENCE

Specific Violation Condition(s) and Remedy:
FAILURE TO PROVIDE/POST DOT PERMIT FOR SIDEWALK/STREET CLOSING. NOTED:AT TIME OF INSPECTION JOBSITE FENCE ERECTED ALONG THE CURB OCCUPYING THE SIDEWALK, TEMP PEDESTRIAN WALK IN USE IN STREET NO DOT PERMITS POST

Specific Violation Condition(s) and Remedy:
FAILURE TO SAFEGUARD ALL PERSONS AND PROPERTY AFFECTED BY CONSTRUCTIONOPERATIONS. EMERGENCY REPAIR WORK IN PROGRESS W/LOADING 30' STEEL I BEAMS ON TO SITE W/NO FLAG PERSONS AT SIDEWALK/WALKWAY LEVEL INSTRUCTING

Specific Violation Condition(s) and Remedy:
FAILURE TO SAFEGUARD ALL PERSONS AND PROPERTY AFFECTED BY EXCAVATION CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS NOTED EXCAVATION AND SHORING DONE AT NORTH SIDE OF SITE WITH 20LX1 1/2W CRACK AND LARGE HOLE 4LX12WX12DEEP IN PATH
Specific Violation Condition(s) and Remedy:
FAILURE TO PROVIDE APPROVED PLANS AT TIME OF INSPECTION. SITE PARTIALLY EXCAVATED APPROX 16' BELOW GRADE. FORM WORK PLACED IN CENTER OF EXCAVATED GRADE W/OUT FOUNDATION PLANS ON LOCATION. ALT 3, 310067183.

Seems from the violations it would appear to be a less than stellar crew at work. The way this kind of disaster goes down is that DOB issues a vacate order and a violation for failure to maintain building to the damaged property/owner placing the immediate safety issues/responsibility for repairs in their hands. In this case the scaffold sidewalkshed company the damaged property owner hired got additional multiple violations.

The developer gets his stop work order violation. Someone also has to pay for the installation of the steel rakers, those inclined struts used to stabilize the damaged buildings. May or may not be the developer who ends up paying. Once the building is considered secure the DOB installs plastic crack monitors that will indicate whether the building is still shifting. It is my experience that they will check on these monitors for awhile and then forget about it.

For you South Slopers familiar with the vacate order of 1504 8th Avenue (still vacant) and the damage to multiple adjoining properties (still cracking) along 16th Street, I thought you should know that the civil lawsuit is still ongoing, now in it's 4th year. Justice is extremely slow in Brooklyn.

Did you know that a developer/contractor can take out insurance in order to get his permits and then let the policy expire immediately? The DOB (unlike the DOT) does not keep track of coverage until the permits expire. Then all the contractor needs to do is renew the policy, get their permits renewed, and let it expire again. They can save $$$$ as long as no one makes a claim.

Posted by: IMBY at March 12, 2010 10:52 PM in response to Crack Is Wack

McSuperfund me...

Posted by: IMBY at March 8, 2010 5:12 PM in response to Prepping for the McD's Demolition

I'm sorry, I meant Lowes... not that Dykes section of the canal is any cleaner.

Posted by: IMBY at March 8, 2010 12:23 PM in response to EPA Gets Cracking on Gowanus List of Polluters

Many times when the property changed hands there was "material" left in the buildings. EPA wants to know what happened to it.

They have to control the run off and repair the bulkheads. Dykes home improvement store is sitting on top of an old manufactured gas plant... pretty nasty contaminated soil and groundwater under that parking lot.

Posted by: IMBY at March 8, 2010 12:21 PM in response to EPA Gets Cracking on Gowanus List of Polluters

>Complaints deemed outright false, continous, and nuisance should then go back to the person filing and minimally fine them for wasting everyone's time and money< This would be problematic for example afterhours construction complaints rarely result in a violation because the inspectors don't show up for days/weeks even though the complaint was legitimate at the time it was made.

My neighbors and I recently received THIRTY 311 DOB Buildings related complaints against our properties in a single day. The funny thing is that we are not doing ANY construction.

Posted by: IMBY at March 5, 2010 11:31 AM in response to Renovation Dilemma

My father used to bring me to the Local Legion Hall when I was a kid. But I was responsible for my age and always tipped the bar tender with MY allowance money. 25¢ Andekers... The beginning of my end.

Posted by: IMBY at March 3, 2010 11:04 AM in response to Brooklyn Bar-Baby Debate Goes National

You guys might enjoy these 1924 aerial photos of the Gowanus showing the locations of the three major manufacturing polluters of the canal. http://imby.blogspot.com/2010/03/1924-aerial-photo-tour-of-gowanus-canal.html

Posted by: IMBY at March 3, 2010 10:42 AM in response to Toll Folds, Hudson Holds In Gowanus

Mounting hinges directly to concrete wall too difficult and bound to fail over time. If this is new construction I bet that corner stud is metal and out of plumb to boot. , I agree with cmu in that a curtain rod is the easiest solution for your DIY budget. Or you could build a wood frame to support the door. Mount frame to existing wall. Mount door to new frame.

I don't think a buyer is going to be that concerned with the closet unless you do something that is visually unappealing and looks like it will cost more money to redo.

Posted by: IMBY at March 1, 2010 5:40 PM in response to Hanging a Closet Door

Dead subcontractor?

You would know the smell of a dead rat when you smell it. Not unlike the smell of an uncooked hamburger patty jammed in the dashboard heater vent of your car...

Any chance there is a faulty sewer vent behind one of the walls? How close is this room to a bathroom /kitchen?

Posted by: IMBY at March 1, 2010 5:21 PM in response to Odd Odor - Need Help!

That opening looks way bigger than any hollow core door available for cheap.

Posted by: IMBY at March 1, 2010 1:50 PM in response to Hanging a Closet Door

DIBS, Not sure it would work for you as Miss Jones, (The Devil In... ) has made a pact with Satan himself allowing her to run her geothermal lines directly down into the the everlasting fires of hell.

Contractor(s) there are many it seems, but the heating system permits indicate:

Issued to: JOSE ORTEGA GENERAL CONTRACTOR - NON-REGISTERED: 0603554-GC
Business: INNOVATIVE ENERGY SOLUTION
2390 MCDONALD AVENUE BROOKLYN NY 11223 Phone: 718-265-5284

I think the general contractor for everything is:

Issued to: FRANK PIZZO GENERAL CONTRACTOR - NON-REGISTERED: 0015951-GC
Business: PIZZO BROTHERS INC
628 WEST 131TH STREET NEW YORK NY 10027 Phone: 212-491-8499

Posted by: IMBY at March 1, 2010 1:39 PM in response to Norah Window Watch: Five Down, Two to Go

Forget the windows, bring on the plumbing porn. Her plans call for "new geothermal heating and cooling systems... basement well.. rooftop solar panels... IN GROUND SWIMMING POOL"

Posted by: IMBY at March 1, 2010 11:56 AM in response to Norah Window Watch: Five Down, Two to Go

Made a request to have our root damaged sidewalk inspected through a program I read about here on Brownstoner.
Parks & DOT eventually installed 19' of sidewalk at no cost to me.

I love my street tree and Brownstoner.

Posted by: IMBY at March 1, 2010 10:15 AM in response to MillionTreesNYC to Create Million Headaches?

Is the building on the city's Stalled Construction Site list? You can check here.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dob/html/guides/snapshot_report.shtml

Sites that are on the list will be periodically inspected to make sure that they are being maintained in a safe manner. You can visit the DOB BIS page and type in the building's address and check for complaints or past violations.

http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/bispi00.jsp

The DOB sometimes refers to this as a 'housekeeping' violation. They will also require the owner to pump out any standing water the foundation may contain.

Posted by: IMBY at February 28, 2010 3:53 PM in response to Inactive Construction Site Trash

Source of fresh air too close to exhaust, no?

Posted by: IMBY at February 28, 2010 3:36 PM in response to Chimney Fresh Air (Unused flue)

i bet Arkady knocked it down just to collect the twenty bucks from Brownstoner.

Posted by: IMBY at February 26, 2010 5:46 PM in response to Tree Down in The Slope

For the record toilets are not covered in enamel. They are glazed and high fired in a gas kiln just like porcelain china plates and bowls. Enamel is what covers cast iron tubs, sinks, and stoves.

Posted by: IMBY at February 24, 2010 9:09 PM in response to toilet enamel issues

Dykes Lumber in Gowanus?

Posted by: IMBY at February 24, 2010 12:15 AM in response to Recs for John Boos Order

Repaired a stain glass window for us and also etched a large glass door for us with the pattern we provided. Both turned out great.

Posted by: IMBY at February 24, 2010 12:14 AM in response to Sunburst Studios - Stained Glass

For a few hundred dollars they will survey your lot and provide you with a plot drawing for your records.
Boro Land Surveying Pc
(718) 624-5500
353 Court St
Brooklyn, NY 11231

Posted by: IMBY at February 23, 2010 12:25 AM in response to property line/survey problem

Is this double wall what's left of the party wall from the prior home? Do your own survey. In Brooklyn everything is plotted to the inch. With row houses built at the same time, the property line travels through the center of the shared party wall.

Posted by: IMBY at February 23, 2010 12:22 AM in response to property line/survey problem

His super hero name shall be...

Posted by: IMBY at February 23, 2010 12:14 AM in response to toilet enamel issues

Theives were driving a hybrid SUV.

Posted by: IMBY at February 23, 2010 12:13 AM in response to Closing Bell: Busting Out In The South Slope

Demographics for Park Slope >West Village>Upper W side
Race:

ZIP 11215 10013 10024

Hispanic/Latino: 26.6% 4.7% 11.1%
White*: 57.2% 41.7% 77.7%
Black*: 6.9% 4.6% 4.9%
Native American*:
Asian*: 5.4% 45.8% 4.2%
HI/Pac. Isl.*: 0.1%
Other*: 0.6% 1.2% 0.4%
Multi*: 3.1% 1.9% 1.6%
* Does not include individuals in this racial group
who identify as Hispanic/Latino.

Household Income:
ZIP 11215 10013 10024

<$10,000: 9.4% 14.7% 8.5%
$10,000-$14,999: 4.5% 9.0% 3.5%
$15,000-$24,999: 8.9% 12.1% 5.9%
$25,000-$34,999: 10.0% 10.7% 6.3%
$35,000-$49,999: 13.3% 11.3% 9.9%
$50,000-$74,999: 20.4% 10.7% 14.6%
$75,000-$99,999: 12.2% 7.2% 10.7%
$100,000-$149,999: 12.0% 8.4% 13.6%
$150,000-$199,999: 4.2% 4.2% 7.9%
$200,000+: 5.0% 11.6% 19.2%
Median: $53,313 $38,304 $78,066

You can play with the zip codes at this site
http://www.zipskinny.com/zipcompare.php

Posted by: IMBY at February 22, 2010 11:45 AM in response to The New Gentrification

Ok, who threw that?!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Erthun0Pauc

Posted by: IMBY at February 21, 2010 10:08 PM in response to Back Rent

Concrete Testing Company and Owner Are Convicted of Falsifying Work
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/18/nyregion/18testwell.html

"Testwell Laboratories of Ossining, N.Y., is the leading concrete testing company in the New York City area, hired to measure and analyze the strength of the concrete poured at some of the biggest private and public construction projects. On Oct. 30, 2008, a Manhattan grand jury indicted the company, its president, V. Reddy Kancharla, and 11 other employees on racketeering and fraud charges, accusing them of failing to do some tests, falsifying others and billing clients for work not performed."

After the guilty verdicts on Wednesday, Thomas D. Thacher II, president of Thacher Associates, a company hired by Testwell customers to review several of Testwell’s projects, said: “Anybody who is certifying as to issues that affect safety and structural integrity must be double checked. It’s too easy to cheat and the incentives are too great, and the Testwell conviction demonstrates that.”

Posted by: IMBY at February 17, 2010 10:09 PM in response to DOB Update 02/17/2010

Does not make sense. Why turn off the heat if you have a programable thermostat? I'm guessing there is a daytime setting that could be lowered to the lowest legal setting?

Posted by: IMBY at February 17, 2010 3:10 PM in response to Heating Cost Question

That explains a lot.

Posted by: IMBY at February 17, 2010 9:50 AM in response to More Toxic News for North Brooklyn

75$ per foot + rental

Posted by: IMBY at February 17, 2010 8:53 AM in response to Sidewalk Bridge

I am not a plumber, but... Couldn't this whole thing be solved by re-installing slop/utility sink with proper p-trap and then stop using the in wall washer drain completely by placing the machine's drain hose into sink? You could cap off the drain and leave it in place as a future cleanout for a snake. This depends on whether there is sufficient room for water to drain with out venting. How close is this set up to the main stack?

I could see the potential for the rush of running water from the existing washer drain to pull the water from the sink trap anyway.

Posted by: IMBY at February 16, 2010 3:37 PM in response to Cause of Smell?

If I was in your shoes I would get it tested first before jumping to conclusions. Just take a few samples from each kind of floor and have it done anonymously without your address listed. It can be dropped off or done through the mail. There is also the chance that your roof has asbestos. I would throw the flooring in the dumpster with the roofing demo (Are they recomending a complete tear off? )

Same with the paint from a few doors walls/trim and windows.

If you have friable asbestos in your basement Con Ed will not do any work.

Cha-ching, cha-ching, welcome to this old house ownership.

Posted by: IMBY at February 15, 2010 3:08 PM in response to Brownstone nightmares pt.1

I would think a survey would be even more of a concern.

Posted by: IMBY at February 14, 2010 2:00 PM in response to Permit for brick garden wall

I have said this before, Brownstoner should have reliable professionals who understand brooklyn and it's zoning/building codes do a series of posts on this topic.
How it relates to the typical one family, two family, three family/multiple dwelling in Brooklyn. With pictures, floorplans, other visual aids.

"Rule of thumb is that cellars(50% below curb levels) are never "habital spaces"."

"Basements can be as long as they meet egress,light and air, c of o requirements".....which is where there is so much misinformation being posted. I know their are a few expeditors/architects who seem to answer these forum posts on a regular basis. Maybe Mr.B can work some deal that will allow them to unravel the basement/cellar controversy for good in exchange for free advertising.

Posted by: IMBY at February 12, 2010 5:25 PM in response to Basement As Office Space?

Most homeowner insurance does NOT cover damage to your property by contractors working on adjoining properties. Call your agent and ask.

Posted by: IMBY at February 12, 2010 2:40 PM in response to MacDonough St. Houses Report

You will have to provide fresh air to the boiler room.

Posted by: IMBY at February 12, 2010 11:09 AM in response to Building Code Issue re: Cellar

Fine painters use hair gathered from the tails of Siberian Weasels.

Posted by: IMBY at February 12, 2010 11:05 AM in response to The Painter's Corner: Paint Brushes

Cheap brushes lose their bristles. "DIBS, you sure have a purdy brush"

Posted by: IMBY at February 12, 2010 10:53 AM in response to The Painter's Corner: Paint Brushes

I couldn't tell. The years of construction noise helped drown out the sound of the frequent planes (every 5 minutes or so). The flight path comes right over the SSlope/Prospect Park.

Posted by: IMBY at February 12, 2010 9:40 AM in response to The Planes, the Pain!

What's on the list? Have you had a warm bodied person in to look at your place, or just emails?

Posted by: IMBY at February 11, 2010 11:53 PM in response to Condo Punch List

Maybe someone can help refresh my memory, but wasn't there an entire block of homes off Underhill and St. Marks that were built so poorly that the homeowners abandoned them. They were boarded up and had chainlink fences out front. I remember a few still had people living in them. Some sort of scam/fraud by the developer. It must have been in the early 90's when I first came across the block.

Posted by: IMBY at February 11, 2010 8:08 PM in response to Prospect Heights redevelopment

heather im guessing you're rooting for cuba, chavez and the return of communism too?

Posted by: invisible at March 18, 2010 8:20 PM in response to Illegal Renovations?

If I had to get permission from Landmarks to plant a hydrangea, I'd go postal.

Posted by: cmu at March 18, 2010 8:45 PM in response to Building a Front Garden

sender9999 just went missing. no response?

Posted by: guikazoid at March 18, 2010 8:52 PM in response to Illegal Renovations?

DIBS, you must have a heck of a green thumb to grow hydrangeas in sandy soil and sun. Do you know what kind? I have a blue/pink macrophylla and an oak-leaf -- one in partial and the other in deep shade -- the kind of light you plant hostas in. But I know there are a lot of other varieties.

I found this whole discussion on the Web, might provide some enlightenment...
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/hydra/msg0613194124338.html

Posted by: Silvermax at March 18, 2010 9:51 PM in response to Building a Front Garden

I was just busting up my cement today to plant a 3x6' raised-bed vegetable garden! If you use a sledgehammer, wear polycarbonate goggles to protect your eyes from flying chips. Want some ibuprofen?

Posted by: Brenda from Flatbush at March 18, 2010 11:06 PM in response to Building a Front Garden

I want to purchase a home. It is really nice in exterior but i want that a home inspector should visit there so that i will be tension free about its interior! can you please tell me how come i hire an home inspector from http://equityinspection.com// site! This site has long list of certified home inspectors!

Posted by: saniyathakur987 at March 19, 2010 2:53 AM in response to Building a Front Garden

Silvermax...do you know where hydrangeas grow best and are their brightest blue??? On Cape Cod, which is all sandy soil. They need to be watered but they also don't like "wet feet."

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at March 19, 2010 8:30 AM in response to Building a Front Garden

jellystew...I started cleanup in my yard yesterday. Let me know when you want to come over and pick up some of those spider plants. I have about 16 of them. I can dig them up when you arrive over the course of a couple days. Bring a big plastic bag.

DJL135e54@yahoo.com

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at March 19, 2010 8:42 AM in response to Building a Front Garden

Don't you love living in Brooklyn? What a lovely string.

Posted by: firstmediation at March 19, 2010 9:28 AM in response to Building a Front Garden

DIBS: Blue is my favorite! I'm wishing I had sandy soil and a lot more sun ... or even better, a house on Cape Cod!

Posted by: Silvermax at March 19, 2010 9:53 AM in response to Building a Front Garden