Scarano Barred by DOB
Architect Robert Scarano received a major rebuke and professional set-back yesterday when the Department of Buildings banned him from filing construction plans after an administrative law judge found that he made purposefully misleading statements in the past. The judge’s findings focused on just three of the hundreds of buildings the controversial architect designed over the…
Architect Robert Scarano received a major rebuke and professional set-back yesterday when the Department of Buildings banned him from filing construction plans after an administrative law judge found that he made purposefully misleading statements in the past. The judge’s findings focused on just three of the hundreds of buildings the controversial architect designed over the past decade; 2006 charges brought by the city accused Mr. Scarano of violations at more than two dozen buildings. As The Times reports, the judge charged Mr. Scarano with deliberately overbuilding, calling some of his filings so deceptive that they call to mind out-and-out fraud. One of the properties in question is 145 Snediker Street in East New York, where the judge says he tried to ‘put one over’ on the DOB; another of the properties in question was an L-shaped building at the corner of Manhattan Avenue and Freeman Street, above. Mr. Scarano repeatedly submitted false documents in an attempt to circumvent the law and have illegal buildings approved, said DOB Commissioner Robert D. LiMandri. Licensed professionals must understand they have an obligation to follow the law so the safety and quality of life of our neighborhoods are not compromised.
Controversial Architect Is Barred by City [NY Times]
It’s a black eye for him, but hardly career-ending. As the article notes, another licensed architect in his office can still stamp and submit plans. Developers may continue to go back to him because of his experience delivering these projects despite the bad PR…
Mezzanine scam? Can someone explain that?
that’s just silly, C3. So much FAR has been freed up through avenue corridor upzonings (4th ave, williamsburgh, many other areas) that the few unlawful units lost by enforcing zoning ordinance limits in lower density areas is a trifle. Vacancies are up, rents are down, and no one who would have bought the unlawful excess living space in a Scarano building is hurting for options at the moment. Not only is your argument stoopid but your timing is way off.
If you want to argue for more upzoning, fine. But this is about law enforcement, professional standards and requiring integrity in dealings with government.
No wonder there’s a housing shortage in NY when the government tries to stop what it calls “overbuilding.”
see
http://www.futureofcapitalism.com/2010/03/scarano-architect-banned
karma’s a boomerang!
*rob*
Yes I know, but in 2006 the OATH judge could have (it DOB had not done a deal) ruled that he used his self cert “unprofessionally” and would have Mr. S give it up…legally, not as a side deal. That could have been taken to the State accreditation board, with then CM , now PA DeBlasio’s help (and NYS AM Brennan, I’m sure)and had his license to practice in the STATE removed.
I guess just whimsical thinking on my part. At least the DOB has done something…
AJ,
The law changed giving DOB greater authority to take steps like this than it had in 2006. A filing ban effectivley ends his ability to practice legitimately in NYC. This kind of a step has to be done through due process in order to stick. I don’t know if that is why it took so long, but it is possible that DOB wanted to dot its i’s and coss its t’s carefully to make sure this will hol dup to court challenge.
As I’ve written before, our architect used to bid against Scarano for development jobs and kept losing because carano kept telling developers he could build more FAR a than anyone else was willing to do and no one could figure out how he was doing it until the whole mezzanine scam came to light. His actions took money out of the pockets of many honest architects. Good riddance.
Four years too late. What does the DOB Commissioner (current) have to say to that? Look at the NY Times article on the Finger building from 2006. They had him then, but slippery Scar-ano got away with a smack on the wrists.
http://bk.ly/bFu
Will this latest development do any worse to him?
Very skeptical. I do love the “doctored photo” as part of what nabbed him. You have to sweat the small stuff Mr. S.
One would think that his career is now over but slime always has a way of oozing back into the picture.