The Curious Case of 214-218 Atlantic Avenue
Our call for tips yesterday elicited some new tips as well as a deserved rebuke from a reader who’d sent something in back in fall that had fallen through the cracks. While on the treadmill at the YMCA, he’d noticed that all of the apartments above the H&R Block, Subway and Adam’s Fresh stores had…
Our call for tips yesterday elicited some new tips as well as a deserved rebuke from a reader who’d sent something in back in fall that had fallen through the cracks. While on the treadmill at the YMCA, he’d noticed that all of the apartments above the H&R Block, Subway and Adam’s Fresh stores had sat empty for sometime and wondered why. We’re not sure we have an answer, but the pursuit of one led to the discovery of this set of plans at the back of a legal easement (Document #2007032601914001 on Acris) from 2007 that, as far as we can figure, relates to egress problems in the three adjacent buildings. Other than that, we’re at a loss. (There’s a one open violation on record with DOB, but it doesn’t look like something that would prevent occupancy.) Perhaps someone more familiar with these intracacies (like a real estate lawyer) can figure it out. Update: According to a reader, “Looks like they are trying to combine the third lot (#214) into the other two, and then they could demo the entire set of buildings and put up something much larger. By themselves, the lots are limited in bulk by the sliver law, but that wouldn’t apply with the lots combined. r6a is non-contextual so they could go pretty high with this — 7 stories as-of-right with one streetwall setback.”
Here’s your answer: these 3 buildings are protected under the Atlantic Avenue Special Zoning, created to preserve the historic architecture. Owing to incompetency in our Brooklyn Building Department and treachery by the owner’s architect, the buildings were defaced. Upon receiving complaints from the Boerum Hill Association and other local watchdogs, our Councilman brought together the owner, his contractor and the watchdog groups. Many promises were made, including restoring cornices.
Nothing resulted, alas. We have held several meetings with DOB officials pleading for intervention and
NOTHING has ever been accomplished. The buildings are loaded with violations, have no COs and are at last check seen to be extremely in arrears in tax payments [this is all the City ever seems to be concerned with]. This situation is just inexcusable and has gone on for years, as noted. No mystery here, just incompetency.
The last post, I think, has it right. The owner violated the building permit by completing a much more significant renovation than allowed and violating the terms of the special district. There was an article (perhaps in the Times or Brooklyn Paper) on the issue. I could not find in a quick search.
I assume the commercial rent pays the carrying charges and more, so there is little incentive to fix the problem to rent the residential portion.
this is a special district. I believe that when they removed the cornishes they violated the special district and can’t get a c of O and I am pretty sure the height is limited to 50 feet….
Martis,
“So at the end of the day here …”
You posted that at 12 Noon, so, um…no.
So at the end of the day here … nobody actually has any real story as to why these apt’s sit empty and what the owner is planning?
The building does not have a c of o and therefore cannot be occupied
OHHH MY GOD — 7 whole stories – how terrible! Its not like Atlantic Ave is some 6 lane throughfare….
I’ve asked around as I live kind of near there. Word on the street is that the owner of that building owns a LOT of buildings all over the city and doesn’t care much either way about lost money on vacant property.
Nothing curious about it.
Looks like they are trying to combine the third lot (#214) into the other two, and then they could demo the entire set of buildings and put up something much larger. By themselves, the lots are limited in bulk by the sliver law, but that wouldn’t apply with the lots combined. r6a is non-contextual so they could go pretty high with this — 7 stories as-of-right with one streetwall setback.