The Past Starts Catching Up With Scarano
As the paper of record, it’s about time that The Times took on a topic weightier than house tours and selling prices. This weekend, the paper’s real estate section shone a bright light on the issue of architect self-certification and the potential for abuse. The poster child for the Times’ story was Robert Scarano who’s…
As the paper of record, it’s about time that The Times took on a topic weightier than house tours and selling prices. This weekend, the paper’s real estate section shone a bright light on the issue of architect self-certification and the potential for abuse. The poster child for the Times’ story was Robert Scarano who’s made a big business out of squeezing every last drop of FAR–and sometimes more, the paper argues–on his road to becoming the small-time developers’ best friend. The impetus for the article was the DOB’s recent petition accusing Scarano of knowingly ignoring building codes or zoning rules in self-certifying 25 building projects in Brooklyn (one of which is 78 Ten Eyck Street, above). In 17 of those cases, the DOB contends, Scarano signed off on more FAR than was legally allowed. One of his most common techniques? Widespread use–and failure to include in FAR calculations–of mezzanine levels and basement spaces. On average, The Times, concludes, Scarano makes a third of the usable square footage magically disappear. The result for Scarano is that he may become the first architect to have his self-certification privileges revoked; the result for other architects is that their sign-offs will be under greater scrutiny, helped in part by recent staff additions at the DOB.
How Big Is Too Big? [NY Times]
Scarano Projects Cited [NY Times]
Still not sure what you are talking about. Sounds like you have some “challenged” friends. What makes people think that all/many/any of the developers building out of context in the South Slope are Jewish? Is it the fraudulent claims about building faculty housing for a yeshiva? Unjustifiable to extrapolate that into an anti-semitic rant, I think. Many of the faculty exemptions were dishonest — and all are now against code. Out-of-context building is far more widespread than the overbuilt faculty housing lots.
To combat anti-semitism, why don’t you educate your friends about this — the issue is unscrupulous developers, not religious ideology. As a jew, I am offended when people confuse the two.
I’m talking about the anti-semitism that is obvious in many of the blogs. Not only this one but others have an underlying tone to them. The actions of a few has given a very bad impression to the people who feel that they are being victimized. Many of my friends have told me, under there breath, that they do not like the way that certain people of Jewish persuasion have descended into some Communities with no regard for any one or anything. They feel that these people are being allowed to do as they wish only because of the way that they use there Religion and friends as a Weapon in there quest for Money.
Being Jewish, I find this repulsive, and I fear that the actions of these individuals (Katan or who ever}is what creates the very anti semitism that can boil over into hatred for others.
Lerner — What are you talking about?
I too would like to see some more discussion of the bigger picture and what is happening in our City.
It is obvious that Scarano is just a small pawn in a much bigger crime being perpetrated, with the knowledge of some City Officials, by the likes of Katan.
As is usually the case, others have and will be persecuted while the real criminals just walk away with all the money they have stolen.
DL and,everyone else as well,
I think is important that someone, especially our City officials, open a conversation about the hate that has been displayed on this blog, for people like Katan. I have friends who live near some of his sites and the horroble tales of utter disrespect for others that he has shown are scary. Especially the City’s culpability in his atricities.
He and others like him have created a very bad situation in this City.
I am Jewish and I can see the hatred that he inspires. That hatred might some day be turned on me.
When viiting some friends in South Slope I have seen people working on Holidays and weekends. Destroying the peace that my friends had enjoyed for many years.
Yet when visiting recently on a Jewish Holiday there was utter silence in the whole nieghboorhood. The silence that used to be enjoyed on a daily basis. As nice as it was, the people in the whole nieghborhood were fuming with the knowledge that there peace would soon be disturbed again and that the Jewish holiday was being shoved down there throat.
I must agree with my friends assesment that “this is not good”
PEOPLE!!!!
Crazy or not…I thought the debate was the fact we have an architect(s) who has allegedly abused his self certification privileges, and if so, should be held accountable.
While I am always ripe for a debate about all the “bad guys of the world,” there one specific one we, the NY Times and DOB need to analyze. Can I get some posts on that? Save the rants against Katan (who, BTW is “satan incarnate”) and the like for other (many and needed) threads on this blog.
Anonymous,
What controls the market is money. And for some that may be all that matters. But as for me and obviuosly some other, Money does not control our lives. So if you want to live in a world where everything is dictated by money. Welcome to the world of Katan, Raudusky, Scarano and the rest. Just don’t come running to the rest of us when you get it up the ass from the other money hungry idiots.
Mimmi,
Designing a building is like a piece of art. Using creativity to conceptualize, create, build… But even more than that, the way it’s like art is that some people get it and some dont. Especially of “modern” art; some think it’s crap, and some are inspired. So are the new development buildings that have sprung up in Brooklyn. Their aesthetics are SUBJECTIVE. And it seems that many like them, otherwise Scarano and these other architects (and real estate companies for that matter) would have been out of business long ago. Listen, let’s be frank, the areas where there are new crops of buildings–Williamsburg, East Williamsburg, Bushwick, Prospect Heights–those ares were crime infested, and UGLY. Yes, that’s right–UGLY. There were some high points, some interesting warehouses, maybe a nice brownstone or 2, but the nice stuff wasn’t torn down. The shit was torn down and new buildings came up in their place. C’mon now… Would you prefer the original crack houses? Some would say “yes” (maybe nutty “Kattan” blogger), but SUBJECTIVE too, no? I’d say what controls the market are buyers–not arhitects, not developers, not real estate companies. You need to go after buyers… try to sway them to see your one-sided opinion. Comical, right? Exactly.
I wonder how many of you are architects and builders? It is so easy to criticize someones work from your lazy and often ignorant point of views. I suggest you guys either finish high school or better yet get a job in order to get out of your parent’s dark and lonely basements. Maybe some day you too will be able to afford a home.
Cheer Up.