“On Hold” means “Move In” in Scarano-land?
Last I heard, architect Robert Scarano had 25 real estate development projects “On Hold” pending an administrative trial set for to begin July 12th. I’ve scoured the news and the blogs and have found nothing about the results of this trial that should have started over 2 weeks ago. So what’s the status?
Quick recap–if you remember, the hearing was to decide whether Scarano had crossed the line self-certifying his own projects that were all WAY too big based on the square footage allotments. The big question was whether or not Scarano was just going to get a slap on the wrist or if some of these tremendous and nearly complete buildings would need to knock a few floors off. Scarano also came under fire for supposed negligence at 3 job sites in Brooklyn and one in Manhattan, where excavations he was supposed to be supervising left neighboring properties “structurally unsound” and in one case resulted in the death of a construction worker.
Now, I live within a few blocks of two of these properties, The Casa at 92 Conselyea Street and the monstrosity that used to be 59, 61 and 63 Conselyea Street. As you can see, according to the building department’s website both these projects are still “On Hold”. That doesn’t explain why we’ve seen work going on every day, or am I misinterpreting the meaning of the words “On Hold”? Regardless, if they are allowed to still work while the project is “On Hold” surely they can’t apply for a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) right? Right?!?
Passing by The Casa last night, I witnessed some lights on. Upon further inspection you can see furniture, lamps and houseplants. This afternoon, there were curtains up on the windows. Has someone moved in? Surely they can’t do that without a C of O. Or I guess you can if you pay off the right people, huh?
More infuriating discoveries after the jump…
We’ve been watching progress at The Casa for months and every day we see more and more work being done, even after the project was cited. Since the project was put on hold this apartment has had the stairs, kitchen and bathroom installed. Looks like they are just finishing up the paint now. “On Hold” indeed.
In front of 59-63 Conselyea you see a container and a porta-potty, sure signs that things aren’t “On Hold” There’s a full crew there working on it every day of the week.
What the hell is going on here?
Hope this helps. Thanks for your photos. Scarano’s so-called “disciplinary” hearing before OATH isn’t even calendared anymore. It was April, then July, now never. They aren’t even PRETENDING to try to stop him anymore.
And he’s STILL self-certifying new approvals. Apparently there’s no stopping him, but at the very least the DOB should be embarrassed about it.
_________________________________________________
Will do.
Hope all is well.
Bryan M. Winter RA, MBA
Deputy Boro Commissioner, Operations
Department of Buildings
210 Joralemon Street, 8th Fl.
Brooklyn NY 11201
_________________________________________________
Original Message
From: Philip DePaolo [mailto:pdepaolo@nyc.rr.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2006 16:40
To: Bryan Winter; Ken Lazar
Subject: FW: [Defendbrooklyn] illegal construction/occupation?
Could you send someone to check this out. Hope all is well.
Phil DePaolo
Community Liaison
The People’s Firehouse
_________________________________________________
Original Message
From: defendbrooklyn-bounces+pdepaolo=nyc.rr.com@lists.mayfirst.org
[mailto:defendbrooklyn-bounces+pdepaolo=nyc.rr.com@lists.mayfirst.org]On
Behalf Of mikki halpin
Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2006 3:28 PM
To: Defend Brooklyn
Subject: [Defendbrooklyn] illegal construction/occupation?
http://nyc.metblogs.com/archives/2006/08/more_rottenness.phtml
Wow Phil. I am stunned. Just stunned. How can this be happening? Why isn’t someone making a bigger stink about this?
Hey Bushman,
Why don’t you just find something else to do with all of your free time. Do you get enjoyment by trying to ruin peoples lives. Perhaps I should sit outside your place with a camera & see what you are up to. Would you like that? Leave us alone & let us live. We’ve been through enough.
I’ve got nothing against the people who bought apartments in the Casa, just against architects and developers who lied to those people and took advantage of the system. It’s like buying a stolen car from a dealership. Would you blame the person who was duped? Would you flame the person who recognized that something was rotten. The way I see it, you’ve been through enough because you were robbed and lied to by the developer.
I also happen to know someone who has been in contract for an apartment at the Casa for over 2 years, so I understand the frustation of the buyers first hand. This post was not directed at them at all.
Dana,
Perhaps it would be more helpful if you got your facts right before posting with such conviction on the web. I think it’s a bunch of bull that you are solely looking out for the Casa buyers. I am frustrated that you have a platform to spread pure ignorance. It makes you look like a schmuck and the casa buyers–illegal squatters.
Move on from your Scarano dafamation and focus on some factual information for a change.
And shame on CURBED and BROWNSTONER for spreading your ignorance.
Perhaps an apology or formal retraction will help you hang on to any ounce of credibility you have left.
2 of the 3 buildings have CO’s. So, everything is FINE. Nothin’ fishy is going on here, despite Dana’s attempt to photograph and disrupt residents and workers, defame architects and developers, and spread her conspiracy theory to sites such as BROWNSTONER and CURBED (who happily post anything anti-Scarano anything without doing any fact-checking at all)
If you would like to play journalist, do as they do when the erroneously report on topics–formally retract the article and apologize to your readers for the knee-jerk fact-less piece.
Michelle,
I got my information directly from the NYTimes article linked above, since they sited 92 Conselyea, called it The Casa, and did not list the other 2 addresses. Also up until yesterday that address had a stop work order against it. The 3 seperate building addresses are not made clear on the DoB website, as they refer to tax blocks. The Casa as a whole is called 92 Conselyea so you must admit there is room for misinterpretation.
I will not retract anything I have said about Scarano, as I believe the investigations against him are completely warranted. Most of sentences above end with question marks, meaning I am posing a question, trying to understand what is happening, not “spreading ignorance”.
I was simply clarifying that I was not against the apartment owners, I never said I was “looking out for them” or that they were “illegal squatters”. I also never called anyone names, which you must realize cheapens your arguments.
Oh, Dana, but I do believe you did call people names–You called the developer and realtor LIARS. You have since deleted “realtor” from your blog, so you also did RETRACT from your article. Although you are not admitting to it.
What cheapens arguments, Dana, is when they are filled with fabricated, assumptive statements, as yours have been.
Oh, and also, according to your website these are the terms of service I have agreed to:
“Metroblogging.com will never, never, never, never, never, never, never disclose such specific user information.”
You are addressing me by “Michelle”, when I never wrote that anywhere in the blog. And your motive for doing that?
You should be devouring humble pie and quit while your ahead.
Funny, How you pulled things from your site since my post. Do you think I didn’t notice that? Took out your accusations. I especially like how you took out that “the developers and realors are LIARS.” And probably my favorite is the photo that you took out, when you zeroed in on the “illegal” worker. And I believe you commented that he looked surprised. Um, Yeah!
How dopey does that photo and caption look now? No wonder you took it down.
That is completely UNETHICAL.
My Frustration (better name, I agree)
I addressed you by the name that shows up in the email address you used to make your comments. That is not information we collected (like IP addresses) that is information you chose to submit and people submit false info all the time. I did not publish your email address. Calling you by the name you submitted on your email is completely within the guidelines of our terms of service–I know, cause I read the whole damn thing.
The person I know who is in contract at the Casa was told lies by the developer and the realtor. The lies dealt with the nature of the 2+ year since they went into contract on the units. They were not aware of the FAR issues until they were made public recently. They were told about a litany of subcontractor issues, so it’s either and out-and-out lie or a lie by omission. The developer obviously knew about the potential FAR issues. Did the realtor know the full extent of the issues? Hard to say. But one lied to me about it, directly to my face. If you are expecting me to retract anything I suggest you start holding your breath now.
Oh and the part about me editing things, removing photos, etc. Psst–You’re looking at the wrong post! It’s the other one you’ve been commenting on so eloquently. It’s all there, the picture you refer to, the comment, me saying the architect and developer (not realtor–see above) lied to them, even an UPDATE with more info that has come about in the last few days. It’s okay, the internet can be a very confusing place.
Michelle here is obviously a confused buyer who fails to look at the details of the article just like she failed to research the property before plunking down her wad. I’m inclined to think they should rip down a couple floors to bring this monster down to spec and if her unit’s happens to evaporate in the shuffle well that’s just financial darwinism. Tough cookies, don’t kill the messenger.
I’m confused, Joe Brooklyn? I have stated nothing but factual information in this blog. So, no confusion, here. The confusion comes from your pal Dana. Did you not see her step-by-step reveal of… uh…. nothing! Whose confused? And like you said, I’m a buyer there, so I have more insight on this whole topic than you, Joey Bananas (I mean, Brooklyn) and some freak who lives down the street and patrols Casa at night. Get a life.
Nice try, Joe, but your post has no substance at all.