BSA Hearing: 182 15th Street aka Katan Towers
The second property to be debated at the BSA hearing on Tuesday was 182 15th Street, the massively out-of-scale development being attempted by Isaac Katan in league first with Henry Radusky (Bricolage) and now Robert Scarano. Once again, the crux of the issue was the extent to which corners were cut and laws were broken…
The second property to be debated at the BSA hearing on Tuesday was 182 15th Street, the massively out-of-scale development being attempted by Isaac Katan in league first with Henry Radusky (Bricolage) and now Robert Scarano. Once again, the crux of the issue was the extent to which corners were cut and laws were broken in an effort to lay the foundation in advance of the grandfathering of the old zoning rules. In this case, everyone acknowledges that the demo contractor (MMG Design) erred in performing mechanical demolition despite only having a permit to do manual demo. As far as we can gather, the other alleged offense is that foundation work began before excavation was complete. Katan’s attorney argued that the developer shouldn’t be penalized because his demo contractor made a mistake. (As if Katan knew nothing about it.) So now the BSA has asked that the architect provide diagrams detailing how much excavation was done and when. “Considering what’s going on,” Katan’s lawyer responded in reference to Scarano’s own problems with the DOB, “We’d prefer to give it to you from the contractor. Now Katan’s lawyers have until May 9 to submit responses, then both sides will have chance to rebutt and the BSA will make its final decision on June 13.
BSA Hearing on Minerva [Brownstoner] GMAP
That’s another illegally built Katan Job.
If the City doesn’t wake up and stop it they are going to have a never ending headache to deal with.
Just ask the poor slobs who bought other Katan/Radusky projects and are now stuck with a piece of shit and a never ending legal bill.
You should see the building going up on 16th street – between 4th and 5th – I keep wondering when they will stop going up.
Shahn,
As stated, at the BSA Hearing, by one of a handful of reputable Architects, “If I were to do what some other Architects do I too would be working on 300 jobs”.
Anybody with any sense of pride or humility would not and is not involved in all of the distruction that is taking place through this City.
These “thing” are not and should not be classified as architecture or Developement. They are nothing more than Gold mines for the Developers and their Associates, and Money pits for the people who buy them.
End of story!
Shahn,
No all developers and architects are “scum bags.”
Just the majority of the ones who developed in our neighborhood. I have met a few god guys, but too few and far in between.
BTW, the majority of the folks who post from the South Slope/Greenwood Hts. area are home owners (many with damaged homes from the development), not renters.
The Issues are cut and dry:
1-The Developer Broke the law.
Hornstiens reply “You can’t deny this application because they were only caught for 4 hours”
Since when is breaking the law quantitative?
2-Incomplete excavation.
One of the few criteria for applying for this gift from the city, as stated by Mr. Hornestien himself, is that one has to have “Completed excavation and substantial completion on the foundation.”
Mr. Hornstien rebuttal: “The excavation was put off because the pump truck was in the way.”
That the BSA is actually entertaining this ridicules excuse should be cause for concern for every citizen of this city.
If allowed this will open a cavernous loophole for developers.
They will no longer have to worry about the foundation in fact they won’t even have to worry about excavation. They can just buy a property and do as they please knowing that the BSA has set a president of saying that in fact there are no rules except what ever the Developers want them to be.
Is it possible for a developer or architect to make a name for themselves in Brooklyn without being a scumbag? Is this only because developers do shady things more often than they do positive ones, or is it just a conspiracy of jealous renters to slander the names of those who build? What about Walentas, or Anderson Associates (no relation).