Wednesday, April 6, 2011

A crap above: Astoria edition

Here we are at the corner of 37th Street and Astoria Blvd South. Looks like a 2-story commercial/residential combo.
And this is what it looks like now. DOB shows the work being done to 37-02 Astoria Blvd South will add 4 stories and convert it into some kind of medical building. Yeah, okay.
Last month, they received DOB and ECB violations for work not conforming to approved plans. Yet there's no stop work order presently in effect. What a surprise!
Previously, they actually violated a stop work order.

I'm sure our future district attorney/borough president is on top of this one.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

What Community Board covers this location, who's the District Manager, Exec Board and head of the Land Use committee? Who's the City Councilperson? Instead of just griping, give everybody some background data on the bozos in charge of these decisions.

Queens Crapper said...

This is an as-of-right development under our current zoning code, thanks to the community facilities provision which is exploited by unscrupulous developers.

Anonymous said...

There are at least the following zoning issues in questions:
1. Minimum of 8' yard is needed between adjoining residence district and this commercial building.
2. The height above street line seems higher than the permitted 30'.
3. The office use on the second floor is not permitted in a building with community facility.
4. The zoning of the property is R6A, not R6. Therefore, the FAR is 3.0, not 4.8.

Anonymous said...

Wake up Queens,this is common practice.The developers of these buildings know enforcement is a joke and the fines are small compared to doing the job legally.What about the required parking spaces for this building. The developers know the city will wave this requirement.

Anonymous said...

DOB's examiner Wong Kai Ki seemed to have a hard time with this one: look at the string of disapprovals! I'd speculate that the applicant received the borough commissioner's ok on this - and he's not supposed to waive zoning requirements! WTF? BTW, Crappy, the use may be as of right, but the structure itself is not...

Queens Crapper said...

This building was approved before the rezoning of Astoria. It goes back to 2005. As for the other violations, this is what the "non-conforming" violation is for.

Anonymous said...

Hey, remember the bozos at Norwood Gardens who got THEIR one block downzoned then had the audacity to stand on the steps at City Hall with Junior and a sign that said 'Astoria Saved'?

Ask them about this.

Anonymous said...

Now now boys n girls. Lets see downzoning Astoria style.

1.You have a 2 or 3 story house with one family.

2. The old zoning said you could build a 7 story building.

3. The new Astoria rezoning (see posting above) said you could build a 5 story building.

(now stay with me)

4. You get a variance for a 6 story building.

5. You tear down the two story one family house, and build a 12 apartment 6 1/2 story building (with a 'rentable basement')

WHOOMPA - DOWNZONING!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

VALLONE, VALLONE, AND VALLONE

A VOTE FOR PAUL AND WHITESTONE BAYSIDE WILL SOON LOOK THE SAME

Anonymous said...

Did you ever notice how the cops that work at the 114 park all over the sidewalks, or just take any available space for themselves? Can't anything be done about this? I mean come on! And I"m sick of hearing them talk about how little they get paid, meanwhile somehow they all have new Escalades.

Anonymous said...

OMG!!!!!!

GKH said...

I live on 36St. and this building is an abomination. So long beautiful Astoria. No more little houses and quiet streets. In 50 years it will all be a wasteland of 6-12 story buildings.

What is happening to our city? Why is Bloomberg and his friends allowed to destroy our character?

I am sad beyond words.