Wrapping Up Some Loose Ends
Before everyone takes off for the holiday, we want to find out what happened at the the landmarks hearing for 184 Kent…And while we’re at it, any news on the fate of whether the 12-story towers or the Minerva building are going to allowed to proceed?
Before everyone takes off for the holiday, we want to find out what happened at the the landmarks hearing for 184 Kent…And while we’re at it, any news on the fate of whether the 12-story towers or the Minerva building are going to allowed to proceed?
As for the two 12 story monstrosities: The one at 182 15th street was not vested. Mr Vulture (Katan) will probably go to the BSA, claiming hardship (What about all the hardship he has wrought on the people who work for him, the neighborhoods he has destroyed and lets not forget all the people who buy his illegally built shit boxes).
The one at 162 16th street was supposedly in limbo. The strange thing about that is that Mr Vulture has been telling people for over 1 week that it is vested and now rumor has it that it is indeed vested but no one at DOB will confirm.
Lets hope that our elected officials will do the right thing and see to it that both of these debacles are stopped once and for all.
There should be no question. Both jobs have been done illegally from the start. Every building, OSHA, Environmental, and labor law has been intentionally violated by the Developer, Architect, and every one involved with it. These illegalities have been well documented even though they have not been stopped. They have made, life, a living hell for the residence of the block and surrounding streets.
As stated in the NY Post 3 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.
To allow these or any other questionable jobs, 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.
Lets keep this thread going until these jobs and every other one like them are stopped once and for all
Here is the article.
Note that from the article it seems that the previous poster was probably at another hearing.
CITY HALL — The crush of development in Williamsburg has pitted the Landmark Preservation Commission against certain members of the City Council.
The warehouse at 184 Kent Ave., right, is a mixed-use structure with some loft apartments renovated by artist tenants. The building used to house the company that now manufactures Wild Turkey bourbon. (Photo: Michael Lennartsson/METRO)
At issue is 184 Kent Ave., a Cass Gilbert-designed warehouse built along the waterfront in 1913 for the Austin, Nichols & Co. grocery company. The building was named a city landmark in September, but City Councilman David Yassky, D-Brooklyn, and other politicians want that designation removed to allow the owner to add four stories in a project to convert the mixed-use structure to luxury apartments. That plan has not only pitted city government against itself, but angered residents as well.
“We just approved a major rezoning of [Williamsburg/ Greenpoint] that’s designed to convert the industrial waterfront into residential,†said Yassky at a public hearing yesterday where he urged the members of the City Council’s land use subcommittee on landmarks to overrule the designation.
“Landmarking carries some burdens for development,†Yassky said, “and I’m concerned with the effect it may have on the redevelopment of the waterfront.â€
One of those burdens is that landmarking forbids alterations to a structure’s facade. Owner Moishe Kestenbaum’s $80 million plan includes new windows in addition to the new stories.
Yassky didn’t think the building was landmark status-worthy: “I’ve driven past and walked by this building hundreds of times before the designation, and it never would have occurred to me that this was a building of distinction.â€
But Rob Tierney, the chair of the LPC, said the “austere and monumental Egyptian Revival style building†was built with a scale and proportion — rather than ornamentation — that made it “one of the most visually prominent buildings on the Brooklyn waterfront.â€
Two months ago, the council overturned the landmark status of the Jamaica Savings Bank in Queens. Prior to that, roughly four designations have been overturned since 1991.
“With the impending influx of development in Williamsburg and Greenpoint, these neighborhoods will soon be dramatically altered,†said Lisa Kersavage, a fellow at the Municipal Art Society — a group that petitions the LPC to designate buildings as landmarks. “Without the designation of key historic buildings, we run the risk of losing the character, history and sense of place of these neighborhoods.â€
Several residents who want to preserve Williamsburg’s low-rise landscape also came to the hearing yesterday to voice their opinions. Many wore turquoise T-shirts with an image of 184 Kent designed by Kayrock — who has silk-screened shirts for bands like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
Martina Salisbury, a former tenant, said landmark status could add to the building’s value. She cited a Gilbert-designed building at 130 W. 30th St.that was designated in 2001. Realtors called it “Luxe. Lavish. Landmark,†she said. “The 45 apartments — some with prices as high as $3.2 million — were all snapped up in just a few weeks.â€
There’s an article in Metro AM about it. http://ny.metro.us/metro/local/article/Landmark_battle_on_Brooklyn_waterfront/162.html.
The Council members did not take action, but they will be voting on Tuesday morning. About two dozen people testified in favor of the designation, each with a 2 minute time limit. The owner’s team had the benefit of unlimited time to present their views. CM Yassky spoke strongly against the designation; without very rational arguements (sort of a melange of “hinders development, I don’t like the building, the designation report doesn’t prove that this building meets the standard of being a landmark”). Owner’s team attacked the historic record and there were dueling Cass Gilbert scholars (or there would have been if the Council allowed anyone other than the oppositon enough time to rebut).
Was the hearing postponed?
they postponed overturning it yesterday but it will happen soon