Stop Work Order / DoB Bureaucracy
Kind of a long story, but I’ll do my best to keep it short. Back in April, my business partner and I rented a warehouse in Gowanus with the intention of building partitioned rooms (what we’re using it for isn’t important). We started doing the work ourselves without permits, an admittedly bonehead move on our…
Kind of a long story, but I’ll do my best to keep it short.
Back in April, my business partner and I rented a warehouse in Gowanus with the intention of building partitioned rooms (what we’re using it for isn’t important). We started doing the work ourselves without permits, an admittedly bonehead move on our part. We got slapped with a SWO shortly thereafter.
After a few months of dealing with an expeditor, an architect, and a contractor, we got our plans approved, paid the $5,500 (!) penalty, and got our permits to work. We thought it was a done deal.
Because this cost a ton of money, we figured we’d wait a couple of months to generate more cash before we moved on to our HVAC installation, also an expensive job. We already had plans approved in September, but just found a company we were happy with and signed a contract last week for a 15-ton unit on our roof. We went to expeditor, and he went to DoB to pull permits today. What they told him blew my mind. Apparently, we still have some civil penalty for almost $10,000 that is due, for a SWO that doesn’t exist, or was already paid. What is going on here?!?!
I’d like to know if anyone else is completely fed up with the DoB being easily one of the most corrupt and money-hungry organizations in this town. I certainly am. It seems to me that people are quick to defend them, but I feel like everyone there is either on the dole or would like to be. Is it possible to make it what it’s supposed to be, i.e. an organization that actually CARES about safety and enforcing code, instead of a bureaucratic greed machine? It’s one thing to throw arbitrary fines at giant developers building huge condos on 4th Ave (it may not be right, but they have budgets for that), it’s another to screw over small businesses who are just trying to build some walls and put heat in their buildings.
Any advice, Brownstoners? I’m at a loss. I’m about to throw in the towel and move to Nebraska or something.
Also, why is there not a category on here for the DoB? They are the source of SO MANY problems…
look for it to get even more expensive as the city tries to get more money out of the dob as a fee generator in line with the parking cops
Katie
That totally sucks. My only advice is to hire an expeditor. It sucks that they even have to exist, but they tend to have ways of maneuveringthe DoB in ways that sane folk like you and me would never think of.
This whole experience makes me wonder if anything would ever really get done in this town if it were 100% government sanctioned.
My guess is no.
I have a similar story and I am completely fed up with the DOB. I was given a stop work order but written on the SWO it stated that painting plastering moulding and doors were still allowable only no plumbing and electrical… Ok so we continued painting etc. About a week later a second inspector comes by and give a second full SWO and a 2000- fine for working while there is a SWO on the property.
We have a hearing date, go to the hearing and ask for a postponement, just get a notice in the mail stating that we failed to show up for our hearing and now our fine is 8000k….I feel so disgusted by the entire experience!
I have no problem paying a fine for work without a permit – but 2 fines for work we were specifically told we could do and for not showing for a hearing that we were at makes me crazy!
Congrats! Power to the people!
UPDATE:
So, my expeditor went to 210 Joralemon today, and called me at around 1pm. Apparently, they totally f’ed up and didn’t enter the original civil penalty payment into the system, but for some reason I still had to pay $297. It kind of feels like they were just throwing a high number out there, and when they learned I couldn’t afford it, they were like, “Whaddya got on ya, kid?”
Bastards. I’m still gonna take them down someday, but I have a business to run in the meantime.
Thanks for all the convo / kind words, Brownstoners. You all rule!
Putnamdenizen: Oh, the radiators are in Clinton Hill. If you’re interested 917-620-4084.
I have some radiators that I’m taking out if you want one or more.
Kitchen sounds lovely. Just reminds me how the internet can bring together people living on whole different planes of existence. Me, I just patched the radiator in my kitchen. Let’s hope its not leaking anymore. My boyfriend really, really doesn’t want to go with me to Franklin and Myrtle to buy a new (used) one and carry it upstairs.
I think the fee collection for the DoB goes through the ECB/DoF. This sounds like a clerical error. Did you send a notarized Certificate of Correction when you initially paid the fine for the Stop Work Order violation? I think you can straighten this our with a letter to DoB and ECB with attached copies of your canceled checks. Send copies to your Council Person and the Mayor’s Office,too. Also, I would call the Council Person’s office and ask for their advice so that you’re on their radar.