Queens Crap: Self-certification program a total disaster

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Self-certification program a total disaster

More than 80 percent of building plans submitted under the city's controversial "self-certification" program are plagued with zoning violations like those at the site of the deadly crane collapse, a recent crackdown has found.

REPORT BARES CONSTRUCTION-SITE CRISIS

The Department of Building's Professional Certification Review and Audit Team checked 662 plans between Sept. 17 and Jan. 31. Examiners issued objections against 556, or 84 percent. The DOB's Special Enforcement Team, which targets repeat offenders, audited another 207 plans during the same period and issued objections against 171, or 83 percent.

Critics say the findings show architects and engineers are running roughshod over the DOB, and that the department should discontinue the self-certification program.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...: Let's see how the Commissar acts.

Is he going to end self-certification?

Or, more likely, will he protect his developers?

It's that simple.; Sunday, May 25, 2008
Anonymous said...: Every single job in Queens, from the big buildings to the one family homes, that has been self-certified since the inception of the process should be inspected to ascertain compliance with the Building Code and Zoning Resolution. If non-compliant, the premises should be required to be vacated, the C of O rescinded, and the non-compliant work required to be removed at the self-certifiers expense.
Self-certification is a crock!; Sunday, May 25, 2008
Anonymous said...: The flaws in buildings in Queens will start to be noticed as the buildings begin to age (and the way they are put up, we are talking about a handful of years here)

I know some contractors and they tell me the shit they put up they would not let a dog live in, let alone a member of their family.

Those bozos in Hunters Point plunking down all that money are about to be suprised.

Revenge is sweet.; Monday, May 26, 2008
Anonymous said...: Senator Padavan cited the same 80% figure regarding the failure of the self-cert program well over a year ago at our homeowners' association general meeting.

So what's taking so long for it to be tossed?

Now lets see if Mayor Midget
will continue to let the foxes guard the chicken coop and retain self-cert or finally propose dropping it.

That will put quite a crimp in the
"building boom" if it's scrapped!

Do you think that Bloomberg
really wants his developer pals
to slow down the pace of their greedy consumption of NYC neighborhoods?; Monday, May 26, 2008
Anonymous said...: I am certain the Saint John's dorm being built on Henley Road which is exacerbating the flooding in our community, would have been stopped. To this day they do not have an approved sewer plan; Monday, May 26, 2008
Anonymous said...: Case in point. Tommy Huang's
223rd Street & Mia Drive project in Bayside. First, Mia Drive is called a mapped street and now they suggest that it is a driveway. Which ever it ultimately is needs to be investigated. Something is seriously wrong with this picture. One of the key issues is emergency vehicle access once the homes are inhabited.

The project was self-certified by Angelo Costa, R.A. It began in the end of 2003. The project has pages of objections which remain unanwered to date. It is riffed with zoning violations and building code abuses. The 4 houses and 3 garages remain vacant to this day without certificates of occupancy. There is obvous deterioration of the buildings and land. In addition, they are an eyesore and have obviously fallen prey to vandals.

Nonetheless, the DOB and the investigative agencies, we are told, continue to prode the developer to come into compliance. A year has passed and the developer has failed to exercise his right to appeal to the BSA to reinstate their permits. Presumably, variances are also an issue to be resolved.

In April 2004 Huang's construction caused major destruction to an adjacent property owner. In his usual fashion, he continues to not take responsibility for the cost of damages. He is being sued by a number of individuals at the present time for damages sustained by them.

Since the beginning of the project, the area has been downzoned. Because the permits have lapsed for a considerable period of time, this presents additional problems for the developer. It should mean that some of those houses come down. The DOB needs to set an example of these architects and developers and mandate that this happens.; Tuesday, May 27, 2008