South Slope Officially Downsized
South South Slopers are celebrating their victory yesterday, as the City Council (above) voted unanimously to approve the downzoning of South Park Slope and Greenwood Heights. The big question marks now are what happens to the two Isaac Katan 12-story buildings on 15th and 16th streets and the Robert Scarano “Minerva” building. Any guesses? A…
South South Slopers are celebrating their victory yesterday, as the City Council (above) voted unanimously to approve the downzoning of South Park Slope and Greenwood Heights. The big question marks now are what happens to the two Isaac Katan 12-story buildings on 15th and 16th streets and the Robert Scarano “Minerva” building. Any guesses?
A New Era Has Begun [South South Slope]
Can anyone confirm what the south slope FAR was rezoned to (from 2.43 to ?) I hear its 2.2, 2.25, 2.0, etc but I haven’t been able to find a source for clarification..thanks
I am ALSO an owner in G-heights. I came into the neighborhood 2 years ago, after 16 years of renting in Prospect Hts and Windsor Terrace. I ALSO knew the neighborhood was up coming. But, the Construction and renovations that I was excited about were the folks who were sprucing up their two story frame homes, NOT building 8 story ugly shitboxes that were towering over their neighbors, casting a shadow of doom on 3 different gardens, and HURTING my properties value, not helping it. I had visualized that that those frame houses in decay would be RENOVATED and beautifed (Like the two on 20th St. just off of 5th Ave. that were about to cave-in). Now, I am elated that the only developers that would risk coming to our neighborhood are those that will be happy to build properties that might actually improve the character of the neighborhood. Just because you tear down a $500k frame house to build condos, doesn’t mean that the ‘working class’ will move in – esp. when that $500k frame house becomes 6 $700k condos. The new zoning will contribute greatly to the growth and transformation of the nabe, as we will have families moving in, NOT investors. Of course, with interest rates going up – growth may slow down nationwide – but I am happy to have finally been able to purchase a home, and happy to be in Greenwood Heights… and I am ecstatic that my little two story frame house and it’s garden may not have to live in the shadow of the evil empire after all…
Did Bricolage design the Spencer St. condos? Even if so, they weren’t responsible for the zoning scam surrounding them — that was the developers — 3M Construction or something like that, based in Williamsburg.
Just as bad as the Vultures, are the System and our elected officials who, together, don’t stop the abuse but encourage it
Somebody is definitely profiting from these shit boxes, but it is not the Community, the people who are deceived in to buying them and least of all the poor shmucks who are working on them. The problem is that the Katans of the world have hidden the money trail very well. If the powers that be DOB, OSHA, DEP, Dept. of Labor, IRS would just do there job we could find that money trail and put these Vultures in jail, where they belong. Instead these so called “powers that be’ , find it much easier to go after small tax payers. Why? Because when a hardworking man or woman breaks the rules (as it were) it is most likely the result of some mistake or happenstance thus there is no deception or attempt to hide it. They are exposed immediately and don’t have the thought process or financial resources to hide the infraction or fight the system. The Vultures whole thought process not to mention finances are dedicated to working the system and screwing everyone and anyone.
It is a truly sad situation when you have one of these Vultures paying 400,00 dollars for a parking spot but less than 10 dollars an hour, with no health care or other benefits to his workforce {Who, by the way, he sends vans to pick them up off the street corners}
Want to do a story on Henry Radusky and Bricolage Designs? We all know that he has used the faculty housing bonus to get additional FAR for many different developers all over Brooklyn. He knows how to play the game. What I want to know is how did all these religious institutions, who buy the way never occupied many of these buildings, profit from this scam? What happened to the yeshiva on 22nd street and on 15th street? What happened with the Spencer Street Condos? The developers provided signed leases by these religious institutions in order to get the permits. You can find copies in the files at DoB. Did they all suddenly change their mind? Answer that question and you will understand Bricolage.
It has been brought to our attention that 182 15th st was not vested.
Thank You and please lets keep it that way.
At the same time we’ve been told that 162 16th st. was neither vested or not. It seems that thier are some questions as to whether to vest it or not. There should be no question. The job has been done illegally from the get go. Every building, OSHA, environmental, and labor law has been intentionally violated by the Developer/Vulture {Issac Katan), Architect/Liar (Radufsky), and every one involved with it. These illegalities have been well documented.
They have made, life, a living hell for the residence of the block and surrounding streets.
It is important to note that, as stated in the NY Post 2 weeks ago, The 2nd highest death rate in NYC in the last year was as a result of construction accidents. Most of these deaths have occurred on illegal jobs that are run very much like 162 16th street. Their have also been many serious injuries some documented and many undocumented that happen on a daily basis on these illegal jobs. If you ask me these deaths should be reclassified as premeditated murder; Since the perpetrators of these crimes know exactley what they are doing.
To vest this or any other questionable job run in this manner would be a direct slap in the face of all those who have died or been injured so that these billionaires could have their way. Not to mention all the tax payers who will ultimately have to shoulder the burden of supporting these poor people and there families as well as the billionaires who flout the laws designed to protect us.
To the Bklyn Papers – please please do all of Brooklyn a favor with a story on Radusky. His company is in a different league entirely than the Scarano’s of the world. They’ve just taken a few pages from him on creatively using the zoning.
I am an owner in G-heights. I came into the neighborhood 2 years ago, as an alt to PS, I knew the neighborhood was up incoming. Construction and renovations were visible; I had visualized that that those frame houses in decay will be gone in the near future. Now, what developer would ever risk coming to our neighborhood. We have stifled the growth and transformation of the nabe. I sympathize with some streets that have too much growth. But the rest of nabe needs a jenny Jones makeover and better variety of businesses. The other nabes that rezoned had a fair amount of distinctive housing prior to rezoning.