DOB Denies Plans for Red Hook Green
The “Redhook Green,” a zero-energy live-work space planned for Conover Street, has been killed by a ruling by the Department of Buildings. As A View From the Hook reports, the developer was trying to get approval to build the mixed-use project in an area zoned just for manufacturing. However, because only a small portion of…
The “Redhook Green,” a zero-energy live-work space planned for Conover Street, has been killed by a ruling by the Department of Buildings. As A View From the Hook reports, the developer was trying to get approval to build the mixed-use project in an area zoned just for manufacturing. However, because only a small portion of the structure (896 out of 3,858 square feet) was to be residential and the site is adjacent to another grandfathered residential property, the developer had been advised by his architect that DOB would likely grant his request based on the residential portion being an accessory use. (He called it a “caretaker’s apartment” in the request to DOB.) The developer’s now considering building a green office building or applying for a zoning variance (which can run in excess of $50,000). Or just bagging it. You can read more details about the ruling at his blog.
actually, Care Takers Apt is permitted as of right in the manufacturing district, it says so clearly in Zoning Resolution 12-10, various owners get permits to do that.
The DOB decision is wholly illegal and I hope they will challenge the DOB in the court. And whoever signed the rejection should be FIRED from the citys payroll.
So, the initial denial was from someone appointed by the Beep? No wonder this was not approved–the guy’s last name is not Ratner. He should have changed it and counted on Marty being afraid of cutting off his gravy train.
ms. hooky,
encouraging the developer to built it as industrial, but use it as illegal residential sucks for neighborhood. it simply attracts more pretentious euro-trash hipsters that are really bad citizens/lousy neighbors.
oh wait, things are already like that!
As per the discussion on View from the Hook, I think Mr. Amato should just build as a garage/ commercial space and put in the living fixtures after the fact. The street view on conover shows houses right next door! Maybe the DOB would rather a cyanide processing plant be placed there instead?
I’m sorry to say that I believe the viewpoint of the DOB could have been determined, or at least “felt out” PRIOR to purchasing the property. The architect could have filed a simple Zoning and Egress set of plans to get a review. The owner could have worked out a deal with the previous owner to accommodate the filing to be under the previous owner’s name.
It looks like a lot of unnecessary energy and dollars were spent for nothing. Not so “zero energy” anymore.
I don’t know this exact location but overall Conover St is already very mixed use so a new residential building shouldn’t be a problem. Fabulous design. What a tragedy if this doesn’t get built. Especially since there’s some really g**awful new construction in Red Hook.
Sorry, incompetent is harsh. Just not sufficiently knowledgeable of the ways of the DOB.
It’s too bad, I guess, but many much better plans are scrapped before they even reach this phase due to the city’s bogus land-use regulations. This guy was totally naive to think a “caretaker’s apartment” would fly in a manufacturing zone. His architect is also incompetent.
This is what happens when you play it legit in Red Hook. The jackass who owns 220 and 218 Conover builts whatever he wants by filing permits for industrial construction and then illegal converts it to residential except they’re shitty unit without a proper heating source.