BREAKING NEWS!
TAG
Challenges Developer’s Tenant Protection Plan
On June 14 TAG filed the
strongly worded report of our structural engineer with the Department of
Buildings (“DOB”) to challenge the “Tenant Protection Plan”
(TPP) submitted by developer Kalikow in support of its application for a
permit to construct a ten-story luxury condominium atop 711 West End Avenue, our
rent-stabilized, mid-1950’s combustible red brick building. Note that
711, which has144 units, is nearly fully occupied. While the DOB initially approved the TPP on May 29, 2015, under
the New York City Building Code there is 15-day post-approval period within
which to revoke the plan. Our submission of the engineer’s powerful report
fell within that challenge period.
TAG also sent copies of
the engineer’s detailed, five-page report to Council Member Helen Rosenthal and
State Assembly Member Daniel O’Donnell, both strong supporters of TAG, as well
as to a number of other elected officials.
Key
Conclusions from Engineer Report
Under
the New York City Administrative
Code a developer must file a tenant protection plan
for any dwelling that will be occupied during on-site construction. Under the Code:
"The elements of this plan… shall make detailed and specific
provisions” for the safety and well being of the extant tenants. The TPP must
address the issues of noise, dust, egress and fire.
The engineer wrote, “It is
my finding that the Tenant Protection Plan submitted is very general, fails
drastically to account for both the size and
complexity of the project and ultimately falls far short on
every code requirement cited above.” He found that the TPP
neither makes any provision for the structural safety of the building nor for
the tenants living in it.
What
Next?
Based on the depth of the engineer’s report and
its strong conclusions, our TAG attorneys sent an accompanying letter to DOB
Commissioner Rick D. Chandler, with a copy to DOB Manhattan Borough
Commissioner Martin Rebholz, to urge that they reject the Kalikow Tenant
Protection Plan in its entirety.
TAG is now awaiting the DOB’s response. In the meantime we continue to work with
our attorneys, our engineer and Council Member Helen Rosenthal to secure any
and all documents supporting any approved applications for the planned construction
in order to continue to challenge the viability of this dangerous construction.
0 comments:
Post a Comment