400 15th Street climbs out of the cellar.

400-402 15th Street in Brooklyn.

PROPOSED FIVE STORY 18 CLASS"A" RESIDENTIAL APARTMENT BUILDING WITH CELLAR AND 15 SPACES FOR OFF STREET PARKING (4,200 sq.ft.) This foundation hardship case remains grandfathered in by the BSA under the old R6 residential zoning.


Architect:ROBERT J PALERMO CORPORATE DESIGN OF AMERICA, P.C.



Everything you always wanted to know about this building...Here's a start. LINK

Crossing the i's and dotting the t's... catching up on the paper work.

Here's a recent photo of the rear facade of 406 15th Street, aka "The Armory Plaza". Not sooo bad. But clearly, one can see that it no longer resembles a big hole in the ground. That's why I am puzzled by the two recent ECB violations ( severity A- HIGH) issued on 4/20/08 and scheduled for a hearing later this month on the 23rd of June.

"Description of Violation:
STRUCTURAL FOUNDATION PLANS ARE INADEQUATE IN THAT PLANS ARE NOT COMPLETE AND OF SUFFICIENT CLARITY TO INDICATE THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF PROPOSED SHEET,SHORING,BRACING AND TANGENT PILE WALL FOR+/- 30'(SEC27-157)"

I understand that the original engineers for the Armory Plaza, Sanchez and Hertberg, PE's, have both been disciplined by the Department of Buildings in 2008 and have voluntarily surrendered their ability to make any new filings. I am sure the replacement engineering firm, Demerara Engineering, who was brought in to finish the job, has gone ahead and done all the necessary amended filings, we hope. The developer has until June 11th to comply with the ECB/ DOB violations. That still doesn't make a neighbor feel anymore safe and secure having this building in your back yard and, knowing that the whole thing rests on a three story deep foundation that may have been completed before all the plans were submitted and approved. Maybe this is how things are done. Make things up as one goes along, using the laws of physics whenever applicable. Lord knows terrible things can happen when we place public safety in the hands of unsupervised private contractors.















Meet Mr. Abraham Hertzberg.















Meet Mr. Sanchez.







































Gravity?

Who was supervising the installation of hundreds of these 60' deep hollow tube piles? Where are the geotechnical reports? The engineering log books detailing the day to day boring data? No one, and I mean NO ONE, seems to be able to produce them.
It has got to be important to know just how many hits with the shovel end of a back hoe it takes to set these piles. For Pete's sake, can you at least tell us whether the bucket was full or empty at the time.

Nice photos showing the extent of the over-boring. Notice the subsurface voids surrounding the tubes? How deep do they go? Deep enough.


















































Memorial Baptist Church yard sink hole.
























Standing on the brink: 1504 8th Avenue sans people.

Protection of neighboring buildings requires site surveys.

Checklist for Engineering Audit























Pre Survey of Existing Adjoining Foundations and Protection of Adjoining Property














































“With engineering, it is either right or not,”

“This dates back centuries. This is a known trade. There is very little new about this stuff.”
said Timothy D. Lynch, PE Chief Engineer NYC DOB's Special Enforcement Excavations Team

-From the New York Times May 20th, 2008

226 15th Street Ordered to Stop Work

Karl Fischer project site closed for violation of section 27-146 of New York City Administrative code.

§ 27-146 Endorsement of approved plans.
All plans and amendments thereto, when approved by the commissioner, shall be stamped or endorsed "approved" under the official seal of the department, followed by a notation of the date of plan approval. One set of such approved plans shall be retained in the department office of the borough in which the building premises or equipment is located; and after the issuance of a work permit, a second set of such approved plans shall be retained at the place where the building premises or equipment is located, and shall be open at all times to inspection by the commissioner and his or her authorized representatives until final inspection of the work is completed.

Links to past IMBY posts:

"Remember The Globe! Theater on 15th Street?"

19th Street Demo Double Play

316 19th Street


320 19th Street

Stop Work Order Fines Highlighted For Your Convenience.

This looks like a new feature, no?
Building Property Profile Overview Page with highlighted Stop Work Order banner in red now featuring FINES DUE. Click on this banner to access details.
















Click on the highlighted complaint number in the left column for violation details.




















Everything you never wanted to know about 325 20th Street.

Architectural Voyeurism No. 14

Armory Plaza Colors.


My mother's people came by ship
And fought at Bunker Hill
My daddy lost a leg in France
I have his medal still
My brother served with Patton
I saw action in Algiers
Oh we must be doin' somethin' right
To last 200 years.

I pray my sons won't go to war
But if they must, they must.
I share our country's motto
And in God I place my trust.
We may have had our ups and downs
Our times of trials and fears.
But we must be doin' somethin' right
To last 200 years.

I've lived through two depressions
And seven Dust Bowl droughts
Floods, locusts and tornadoes
But I don't have any doubts.
We're all a part of history
Why Old Glory waves to show
How far along we've come 'til now
How far we've got to go.

It's been hard work but every time
We get into a fix
Let's think of what our children faced
In two - ought - seven - six.
It's up to us, to pave the way
With our blood and sweat and tears.
For we must be doin' somethin' right
To last 200 years.

-Haven Hamilton

Architectural Voyeurism No. 13

400 15th street 7am: A solitary worker sits and waits for the rest of the finishing team to arrive. The extended robotic arm of the concrete pumper truck casts its morning shadow against the cinder block wall of the neighboring building.

MURAKAMI PACKING CRATES©

"MR. DOB"

Robert D. LiMandri© is "Kawaii"

Sorry Bob, I couldn't resist.

Fear of Open Spaces
When you go to the MURAKAMI© show at the Brooklyn Museum, I recommend you skip the usual elevator ride and take the back staircase instead. There you will find the makeshift storage area for all of Takashi's very well crafted plywood packing crates. The ones fabricated to safely transport more than 90 of his life's works.

This side up.
More than 18,500 square feet of the Brooklyn Museum's gallery floor/wall space have been wallpapered with his trademarked cartoon images of tearful flowers, psychedelic mushrooms, and the mouse-like creature, Mr. DOB .





In contrast, the stacked wooden boxes, in a multitude of shapes and sizes, offers a welcome respite from the Horror Vacui one finds on display upstairs. You certainly won't have to deal with the crowds.

























































Enough wooden boxes to make even Donald Judd envious, and he's been dead since 1994.
Here's a great time lapsed video of "Mr. Pointy" being installed in the Museum's ground floor entrance lobby. Behind every genius...

20 Jackson Place Ordered to Stop Work

Almost as soon as the excavating work for the new foundation started, it stopped. The NYC Buildings Department has shut down the entire site until further notice.




















Understanding Your ECB Violation

"B25 27-201 Work does not conform to approved plans"

Provision of Law: §27-201 Compliance with application, plans, etc.- All work shall conform to the approved application and accompanying plans and papers, and any approved amendments thereto.

Background: Construction inspectors issue this violation when the condition at the location does not match what is in the application (drawings, etc). This violation is issued either as a result of a complaint, as a result of a scheduled inspection for an application, as part of a "sweep" or as part of a review of previously issued violations. No work can be conducted that is not included in the approved plans and application. The inspector will often include the current permit or application number as a reference for the violation.

18-20 Jackson Place!!!!!!!!!!

277 19th Street Skull and Cross Bones

Another Mark Zeldin development is in the works for 277 19th Street.
Marie Grasso of MGM Demo Inc has the permits to do the dirty work.
The R6B ZONED 33' wide lot allows for a 5 story 50' tall building, and it looks like that's what's a coming.





























Collateral Damage: The first fatality.

Ben

Ben, the two of us need look no more
We both found what we were looking for
With a friend to call my own
I'll never be alone
And you my friend will see
You've got a friend in me
(You've got a friend in me)

Ben, you're always running here and there
(Here and there)
You feel you're not wanted anywhere
(Anywhere)
If you ever look behind
And don't like what you find
There's something you should know
You've got a place to go
(You've got a place to go)

I used to say, "I" and "me"
Now it's "us", now it's "we"
(I used to say, "I" and "me")
(Now it's "us", now it's "we")

Ben, most people would turn you away
I don't listen to a word they say
They don't see you as I do
I wish they would try to
I'm sure they'd think again
If they had a friend like Ben
(A friend)
Like Ben
(Like Ben)
Like Ben

-Michael Jackson

Abraham Hertzberg & Louis Sanchez engineers for the Armory Plaza...

"Armory Plaza 406-408 15th Street Brooklyn, New York"
1998 - 2008 Disciplinary Actions -
Architects and Engineers








Description of Violation:
"STRUCTURAL FOUNDATION PLANS ARE INADEQUATE IN THAT PLANS ARE NOT COMPLETE AND OF SUFFICIENT CLARITY TO INDICATE THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF PROPOSED SHEET,SHORING,BRACING AND TANGENT PILE WALL FOR+/- 30'(SEC27-157)"

POST APPROVAL AMENDMENT FOR DOCUMENT 03

------------------ * PROFESSIONALLY CERTIFIED * -----------------

AUDIT: A - ACCEPTED 11/09/2007

Last Action: PLAN EXAM - APPROVED 04/15/2008 (P)

REVISED PW-1 AND DRAWINGS SUBMITTED HEREWITH TO INDICATE SUPERSEDING STRUCTURAL ENGINEER OF RECORD TO OSCAR WALTERS AS SHOWN.




Special EnforcementProgram Excavation Unit Excavation & Underpinning Practices
Timothy D. Lynch, P.E.
February 19, 2008

Field Checklist for DOB Inspectors
Listed below is schematic checklist
[] Check for CORRECT contractors sign
[] Check for permits posted in conspicuous place
[] Check DOT Street Closure Permits
[] Check for valid set of stamped and sealed drawings
[] Check for work contrary to plans
[] Check for notifying DOB (Rule 52)
[] Check to provide 8’ fence
[] Check for work without permit
[] Check for excavation below 5’ from curb per Rule 52
[] Check for excavations between 5’ and 10’ – Access out of site? Ladder
[] Check for sheeting shoring bracing along street side and rear garden
[] Check for undermining of one story rear extensions – VERY DANGEROUS
[] Failure to Protect Adjoining Structure
[] Check for defective underpinning
[] Check for damage to adjacent buildings
[] Neighbor gets DOB : Circumstances Beyond Control
[] Check for Failure to Safeguard Public and Property
[] Check for shear cut / undermining of adjacent property

NYC Department of Buildings
Special Enforcement Program
280 Broadway, New York, NY 10007
Excavation Unit


THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION PERTAINS TO THE STOP WORK ORDER
ISSUED AT THIS SITE BY THE SEP EXCAVATION UNIT. ALL CONSTRUCTION
SITES WILL RECEIVE A STOP WORK ORDER FROM THIS UNIT IF ANY OF THE
FOLLOWING CONDITIONS EXIST:
1. No protection at sides of excavation carried to depth of five (5) feet or greater

2. Inadequate details for support of excavation (“SOE”) or foundation work: underpinning, sheeting/shoring/bracing, piling, etc.

3. No TR-1 statements of responsibility on file in BIS for required controlled work

4. No controlled inspector on site during controlled work, as required; or, if present, inadequate controlled inspections are being performed as evidenced by substandard work and lack of conformance to the plans and construction documents

5. No approved plans at the site for SOE and foundation work

6. Performing any construction work not in substantial conformance to approved plans and construction documents

7. Any unsafe condition that endangers workers, public, or adjoining property and structures

The job may be referred to our Engineering Unit if one or more of the above items apply to the site. If referred, an audit will be performed that will include a review of the plans/construction documents, of controlled inspection filings (TR1s), of controlled inspection field logs, and any other applicable documents relating to the site. The engineering audit must be completed and job “released” from Engineering Unit prior to the rescind of the Stop Work Order.

IF BOX IS CHECKED THE SITE IS BEING REFERRED TO ENGINEERING UNIT

To expedite the Engineering audit process, please provide the following:

Copies of DOB approved and perforated architectural, structural, underpinning, shoring drawings; sections and details for all foundations, cellar up to ground floor for the New Building

Surveyor’s site plan and boring logs

Copies of the DOB approved and perforated TR-1s for all structural, underpinning, shoring, and foundation work, including borings

Elevations of the adjacent property line structures with their sub-grade layout

For information regarding the Stop Work Order, please call:

Chief Inspector Miguel Padin, Excavation Inspection Unit at (718) 802-4594
Or
Chief Engineer Tim Lynch, PE, Excavation Engineering Unit, at (212) 566-3398
Or
Structural Engineer Delia Shumway, PE, Excavation Engineering Unit, at (212) 566-3529





Checklist for Engineering Audit of
U/P and SSB design documents
Underpinning:

Plot plan showing all adjoining properties and building heights (number of stories, cellar, etc.) The material of adjoining foundation should be indicated (rubble stone, reinforced concrete, CMU, etc)

Plan view showing location of all underpinning

Sections through underpinning showing both sides of lot line (existing foundation and NB foundation), one section for each condition

Sections showing the actual elevation of bottom of NB footing (or bottom of general excavation) and bottom of adjoining footings, allowing us to establish the height of the pins themselves

Details showing box pits, including timber dimensions

Details showing steel reinforcement of concrete pins, if required. Usually provided on multi-lift underpinning

Details showing pin dimensions

Elevation showing sequence of pin excavation. Minimum distance between simultaneous pin excavation must be shown and sequencing notes provided If required, bracing of pin must be shown in plan and elevation

Dry pack and steel wedging detail must be shown
All elements must be dimensioned (rebar, tie backs, lagging boards, structural steel, etc).

Sections must be provided showing isolated column footings or chimney locations within wall (these require special underpinning techniques and may require direct shoring of structural member before underpinning).

Multi-ring underpinning must be clearly indicated. Bracing of upper pins during installation of lower pins should be shown, along with dry pack, wedging, or doweling details (horizontal and vertical) between sections.

Bond breaker shown in sections between adjacent building foundation/underpinning and NB foundation wall.

Sheeting, Shoring, Bracing:

Plot plan must show location of all shoring, dimensioned from property line, including spacing

Sections and elevations must show elevation of toe of sheeting or soldier pile and elevation of top of grade being supported

Dimensions indicating what length of pile out of the ground, and length embedded. Piles that are less than 1:1.5 will require calculations backing up design.

All steel must be dimensioned (raker, whaler, soldier, sheeting, plates, connections, etc). Footing block must be show in plan and section, if required. Connection to footing block must be shown





Excavation Unit Violation Guide
Violations Issued To Professionals

27-157 & DOB Berger Memorandum dated 12/05/86 (“Inadequate Plans”) Architectural/structural plans are not adequate in that plans are not complete and of sufficient clarity to indicate entire nature and extent of proposed excavation, foundation, shoring, underpinning work.
Remedy: Provide revised plans.

27-132 / 27-724 / 27-195
Designated controlled inspector has not adequately performed his inspection duties relating to underpinning, sheeting, shoring, bracing, sheet piling, etc. Note, controlled inspections are only required when underpinning/sheeting/shoring/bracing/sheetpiling are performed at a depth 10 feet or greater from grade, otherwise, the superintendent of construction (semi-controlled inspector) is responsible for this item.
Remedy: Stop all work except to make safe. Notify designated controlled inspector. Provide inspection report by licensed professional engineer or architect for all work subject to controlled inspection heretofore performed.

27-132 / 27-724
Failure to file TR-1 Form (controlled inspector statement of responsibility) prior to the commencement of controlled underpinning, sheeting, shoring, bracing, sheet piling, etc. Remedy: Stop all work except to make site safe. File TR-1 Form.

27-596
Inadequate structural design in that design computations do not demonstrate conformance with the applicable standards noted in articles four through twelve of subchapter ten of NYC Building Code.
Remedy: Stop all work. Re-design structure to bring it into compliance with articles four through twelve of subchapter ten of NYC Building Code.



List of sources for historic research on existing buildings
ONLINE:

1. DOB Buildings Information System (BIS)
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dob/html/bis/bis.shtml

Review addresses for NB site and adjacent lots for all certificates of occupancy. This is useful if the NB site under development is vacant, the applicant or developer can review all the addresses on the vacant lot to determine if buildings existed on site previously. Most likely, vacant lots had buildings previously. The C of O’s frequently indicate whether basements and cellars existed. This can be useful to determine schematic sub-grade structures, old foundation walls etc.

2. New York City Open Accessible Space Information System Cooperative (OASIS) http://www.oasisnyc.net/oasismap.htm

This site maps properties with lot lines, block and lot boundaries and building footprints shown, which is helpful in identifying lot line construction. It will also help identify Landmarked buildings, building Owners, and historic information.

3. New York Public Library (Small fee for replication of drawings)
Sanborn Maps Check NYC Public Library 42nd St, Room 119, Cartography Room. Request tax lot maps of NB site at 20 years intervals going back to 1880 to determine series of previous buildings on site. This has to be drawn on vacant lot as reference data.

4. NYC Department of Buildings Archives (Min. of 2 days, small fee for dwg. replication) Check NYC Dept of Buildings archives for NB site and adjacent construction. DOB records can have old architectural drawings of adjacent construction and old buildings on NB site.

5. New York Historical Society (Same day. Small fee for replication of drawings) Check NY Historical Society archives for NB site and adjacent buildings. Historical archives can have old architectural drawings of these buildings.

6. Professional Plan Finder (Minimum two weeks. Not inexpensive) Professional plan finders may locate hard to find building plans when regular sources do not produce results.

FIELD EXPLORATION:

1. Site Probes (Minimum two weeks. Not inexpensive.) Locate test pits in NB site, center and along property lines. Test pits, in conjunction with interpretation of site from desk research, can assist with concealed conditions.

2. Site Surveys of Adjacent Buildings
With the cooperation of neighboring buildings, walk the properties, most particularly, condition and depth of basements and cellars

Buildings Commissioner Lancaster hands over own head on platter.

SELF-CERTIFICATION

In keeping with her personal pledge to improve accountability and transparency at any cost, Department of Buildings Com. Patricia Lancaster offered up her own severed head during a public sacrifice held this afternoon at Gracie Mansion.



"Today I submitted my resignation, which Mayor Bloomberg accepted. It has been an honor serving in his administration and I thank the Mayor for this opportunity. After six years in public service, I made this decision because I felt it was time to return to the private sector. I am proud of the groundbreaking work the department has done during my tenure to root out corruption, increase transparency, overhaul the building code and increase safety for workers and the public alike. My message today to the talented and capable staff at the Department of Buildings is to keep up the hard work: you’ve made so much important progress. It has been my distinct pleasure working with you."


Ms. Lancaster, we are nothing without you! --IMBY

"1638"

The Loch Windsor Monster sighted.
How might 1638 Eighth Avenue look today if it were finished?
Our long delayed, ECB violation prone, 27 unit condominium project looks as if it may finally be ready to poke its head above water and introduce itself. This mythic beast has been under construction for what seems like an eternity. Sandwiched between Windsor Place and Prospect Avenue on one narrow, god forsaken sloping spit of land... Has it been 6 years already?... Workers appear to have things back under control, at least for this moment.

For now anyway, the stop work orders have been lifted, the permits renewed, the site drained of standing water, and yes the concrete finally poured.
Look folks, you can see for yourself the grandfathered-in, BSA vested foundation really does exist after all!


















In Tomorrowland
Architect Karl Fischer's Epic "Prospect Terrace" as seen in the renderings below are from the developer's website, www. BOBKER GROUP.com.

In the first image, is this what it will look like from 8th Avenue? I don't see any curb cuts. The second image gives you an idea on how they will be handling the change in grade as the property slopes southwestward towards 7th Avenue. The green open areas are confusing. The foundation as it lays now, covers the entire site. Will some of this area be topped off with grass or is the illustration just rendered in a way that the existing rear yards along Windsor Place and Prospect Avenue are shown without fences, ect?
You can check out their other projects, currently in the works for Park Slope, Williamsburg, Bensonhurst, Brighton Beach, and Gravesend Brooklyn over here.












































87 complaints so far and counting.
There may come upon a time when no one remembers the disruption in the quality of life. Eventually the hardships may even be forgotten. But for those adjoining property owners still seeking some sort of retribution for damages done, did you know that you can pull back those big velvet Prospect Terrace, L.L.C. curtains and meet the Australian Bobker family? You can find Avi, Ali and Ben's photos, phone numbers, and email addresses right here. It may help to expedite those remedial repairs if you redirect your complaints right to the source instead of bothering with 311. Or, you know, maybe not.


















The yellow backhoe arching up in the distance belongs to the demolition crew of 379 Prospect Views, LLC.
Current demolition photos can be viewed here.

Past IMBY posts from the "1638" archives:

"Perspective Lessons"

"Like a virgin, being touched for the very first time."

"1638 Eighth Avenue's Stop Work Order"

NYC Buildings Construction Safety Weak

Know anyone in particular who could benefit from attending these seminars?











































"Perform your own urban demolitions and excavations after attending our two hour class, guaranteed or your money back!"
Forget those faded Lancaster power point presentations. Why not attend one of IMBY sponsored walking tours of the greater South Slope/Green Wood Heights neighborhood construction sites given by the residents themselves? Worried about Accreditation's? Surely by now these local experts have earned enough "life credits" to earn their Masters in Disillusionment.

Here is an oldie but goodie from the IMBY Archives... The October 2005 night time demolition of the Rojas Bakery, 406 15th Street in Brooklyn by the Armory Plaza Players Group.
Who would have guessed at the time that the worst was yet to come?