Builders demolish so they can build bigger houses or two or three houses where one had stood before. This practice can endanger the adjacent homes and is often in violation of the approved plans which may be self-approved.Precautions lacking in demolition of homes
The innocent adjacent homeowners are sometimes forced out of their home and the builder still doesn't repair the damage. The homeowner has to spend the money to sue. An unscrupulous builder did this to a woman's property in Bayside about three years ago when he built three houses on a lot that originally had one. The DOB had permitted him to put the houses in sideways. As far as I know, the lady's property in Bayside has not been repaired.
Why doesn't New York City help these innocent property owners, since it let unscrupulous builders self-approve or just didn't stop the builders quick enough? Civic leaders complain that the DOB doesn't do enough. The innocent people pay property taxes and pay any fines they receive, unlike the unscrupulous builders who don't care about laws or fines...Some builders feel that a small fine is part of their expenses, if they do pay the fine.
7 comments:
You would think with pressing issues like barking dogs and homework being addressed with hammer and tongs by the city council, something like this would get passing attention.
Every time I see Christine or any one of them get up in front of a camera with some officious posture I turn on the mute.
Probably a big mistake.
Tommy Huang is notorious for underpinning. He even unpinned a firehouse in Elmhurst. He is presently being sued by a number of victims for illegal under-pinning, excavating without shoring and similar dastardly deeds. He changes lawyers like people change their underwear. He even gets them to do unscrupulous deeds on his behalf. He always seems to find architects, engineers and excavators to self-certify his dangerous projects and put their licenses on the line. Presently, we are told he is being investi-gated by various agencies. What will come of the investigations is yet to be known. For now, the goal is to keep as many of his projects stopped as possible.
I came across this very interesting article about Mr. Huang. It makes for good reading. The NY Times, August 3, 1997
Thomas Huang's Hot Seat
By CHARLIE LEDUFF AND NORIMITSU ONISHI
Just search on google for Thomas Huang's Hot Seat.
Perhaps he is untouchable.
i own a building in elmhurst queens the property next to mine was demolished to make place for a grand crap. while the where excavating they undermined my foundation and the building began to crack i took pictures and advised the construction crew that they where causing seriuos damage to my building and that i called the dob. they quickly began to backfill the dirt to resupport the building. when the dob arrived 3 hours later they spoke with the construction crew and they advised the inspector that they where not even working near my building. the inspector then came and advised me of what the crew said i asked him why there was fresh siol against my property and why the backhoe was there, i then showed the inspectors the pictures on the digital camera so he could see they remved over 2 feet of dirt around my building showing the a corner and 10 foot section of sidewall just hangin in the air with no support. the inspector looked at me and said "well i was not here so i cant do anything."
2 months later the construction was now back to work excavating to the rear of my property the neighbor adjacent to called the dob because of structural cracks in his building when the dob inspector arrived he saw what the construction company did that day and was shocked to see that they undermined the back of my building. the inspector then called in an emergency crew and noticed the cracks in the front that the previous inspector refused to do anything about and immed. issued a vacate order for my building. after lookin at the builders plans with the dob they advised that they where supposed to underpin the property and the architect signed off and advisd the dob that they had done the underpinning when they never did. the city dob is a bunch of fools and ruined the area with self certification, it was just an easy way for then to collect permit fees and do no work .
thanks for posting that comment, Elmhurst. It really helps me to see the dob for what it is: utterly worthless.
this is so scandalous. our government is a bunch of crooks.
For about 20 Gs, or so, you could have
an offending builder "whacked".
That's a hell of a lot cheaper than filing a lawsuit
for any damage done to your house.
And the result is guaranteed.....
provided the hit man
brings you his head on a plate as proof !
Verdi:
For sure.
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