OT: This is something new.... NYC highrise under contruction must remove floors

[Clare Snyder]

If the shyster developer severed the parcel after obtaining the permit, who's fault is it? It's FRAUD. Appears that is what is being implied.

[gfretwell]

I am not sure how it works in Canada but in the 2 states I lived in you need the government's permission to split parcels and that should also go through zoning approval. I am not saying the guy didn't do some razzle dazzle but if the government can't interpret their own convoluted rules, they are the negligent party. I am not sure there wasn't some palm greasing and maybe some people should go to jail but if this just turns out to be government incompetence, they should be paying lots of money. It will get down to who has the best lawyer.

[trader_4]

I didn't see anything about anything being severed after the permits were issued either. Makes no sense. And if you were splitting anything up, that would have to meet the zoning and other reqts too. From what I can tell it looks like it could be complex laws and rules and perhaps differing interpretations.

[Clare Snyder]

I thoiught mabee he had assembled several properties but had not merged them, but used the combined lots to fudge his way through for the approval with no intent to ever merge them - allowing him to push the project through, then peel off the remaining property for other uses - or something shady like that

[gfretwell]

That is what zoning review is supposed to catch. Once lots are consolidated on the plat, separating them later, requires another zoning review. Either NYC has a glaring loophole in their law or someone at city hall screwed up. My question is still, did some cash change hands to arrange this "mistake"? If so, someone should go to jail. Maybe I am just jaded because our zoning and permitting process is usually pretty much above board. In fact in the 35 years I have been here, I haven't heard of a single case of bribery, either of zoning boards or the inspection process. I lived on both sides of the building inspector business, I was an inspector and my wife was a builder. Neither of us ever heard of anyone slipping someone a handful of cash to look the other way. Although once she did walk up to the structural guy with a puppy in her arms to get a break on a concrete pour. They were ready when the concrete arrived but they were still wiring rebar when he had to go. He did get pictures tho.

[trader_4]

There is one easy solution. If it's due to the law/rules being vague and/or the city officials making an error, the city could pass a new law for an exemption for this one case. But of course that would have to get through the crazy, stupid lib council and they are not known for having any common sense or fairness to business.

Did you see what they did last year with Rikers Island? The jail there that NYC has used for for most of the last century is in need of replacement. So they are going to close it and build five new ones scattered in residential areas around the city. So, there must not be room on the island for another new prison, right? Wrong. Plenty of room where they could build a new one, then occupy it and tear down the old one. They are doing it because according to the nutty libs lead by de Blasio, Rikers has become a bad image of incarceration. The neighbors in the various areas are of course happy to see a jail built by their homes. No problems with property values, right? And if Rikers had a fire or similar, you could evacuate outside and the prisoners would still be on an isolated island, not in the streets of the city. Modern lib insanity on full display again.

[Clare Snyder]

Of course it dir. It's Real Estate Development in the wormy apple. Don't need to ask THAT question. The big questionis how many?? Some real estate lawyer was likely paid big-time to figure out how to "game" the system. My take is the parcels were never officially consolidated, so did not require zoning review, or the timing was rigged that the permit wasn't registered before the zoning app to split the properties was initiated, so the whole mess just happened like 2 ships passing in the night - with barely a ripple.

NYC is a different world, politically. It spawned both Trump and Bloomberg, for cryingout loud - as well as the "goul"

[gfretwell]

I don't know how flawed the process is in New York but I need a permit to drop a pre-built shed and the first step is zoning review. You can not do anything until the zoning review is over and approved. Plot plan, aerial photos etc. They won't even start looking at the engineered plans or certificate of compliance until you clear zoning.