We need to make these sites into assets for the community. Many of these developments are causing real hazards for their neighbors, with fences falling down on sidewalks, loose construction debris that can become deadly in high winds, and unsecured sites that are dangerous for children and an invitation to squatting.
Help the effort to convert local blight to community benefit by providing feedback and tracking the progress of each site.
Leave comments below on a individual site to update us on the conditions. If you call 311 about an issue, please leave a complaint number in the comment.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
267 6th Street, Park Slope
(NE corner of 4th Avenue and 6th Street)
Project Type: New building
Project Description: Construction of new 12 story, 107 unit building
Status: Stalled. Partial foundation. Lot for sale
Background: This Karl Fischer-designed building was initiated in early 2008. The demolition Excavation was undertaken, and remediation was necessary due to prior use (car repair and garage). Piles were drilled and driven for the foundation. A full Stop Work Order was issued in June 2008 because the work was found to be out of compliance with the approved plans. The SWO was rescinded in July but another SWO was issued in September 2008.
In April 2009 the site was declared Stalled at the excavation stage. There were repeated reports of standing water and a violation was issued for failure to drain rainwater. As of late December, the excavation remained exposed and water had frozen. Permits were renewed. A “For Sale” sign is posted.
Project Type: New building
Project Description: Construction of new 12 story, 107 unit building
Status: Stalled. Partial foundation. Lot for sale
Background: This Karl Fischer-designed building was initiated in early 2008. The demolition Excavation was undertaken, and remediation was necessary due to prior use (car repair and garage). Piles were drilled and driven for the foundation. A full Stop Work Order was issued in June 2008 because the work was found to be out of compliance with the approved plans. The SWO was rescinded in July but another SWO was issued in September 2008.
In April 2009 the site was declared Stalled at the excavation stage. There were repeated reports of standing water and a violation was issued for failure to drain rainwater. As of late December, the excavation remained exposed and water had frozen. Permits were renewed. A “For Sale” sign is posted.
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No one seems to be in charge of shoveling in front of this lot when it snows and it is a total hazard walking on 4th Avenue between 5th and 6th as the sidewalk is covered in ice. Also the wall that's built along the sidewalk on 4th Avenue is rather intrusive making it very hard to walk along to begin with. Would love to see this builidng acutally get built.
ReplyDeleteAnyway they can they limit this buidling to only 6 or 8 stories? The LAST thing we need on that block is another ugly 12 story monstrosity.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of UGLY, is there anyway to involve the people who live near these proposed work sites to approve the building aesthetics?
The last 2 that went up - The ARGYLE and even the NOVO (though i hear the NOVO is beautiful on the INSIDE) were so damn ugly & out of character that it makes one's blood boil.
Not only is there standing water in the site, often there is a strong smell of benzene or other solvents- potentially an environmental hazard!
ReplyDeleteThere is a small lake in the lot covered with an oil film. The 4th Ave sidewalk is very difficult to navigate because it slants steeply where the old entrance to the gas station was and the flatter areas are covered by the fence which cuts off half the sidewalk.
ReplyDeleteAfter the big rains of this past weekend, the small lake has taken over half the site -- it is now officially a large lake. A great deal of the lake is actually oil.
ReplyDeleteThere is a strong odor present as well as oil-covered debris floating around the lake. The winds from the last storm have blown off a few of the wooden panels exposing the mess to anyone who walks by. This probably isn't the best thing to have on the walking path for the students walking to our local middle school...as well as residents in the area.
noticed the other day what others here have also confirmed: the site is completely flooded with water that is also substantially polluted with petroleum (most likely) and possibly petroleum-related additives like MTBE. pollutants are now suspended in water that is possibly leeching and impacting the neighboring residential units on 6th street and 5th street respectively. the flooded site has also accumulated a lot of trash floating throughout the area and the recent storms have compromised the fencing around the lot. i left a complaint with Abian at 311 (#3335736).
ReplyDeleteI sent the following complaint to the people who manage this site at NYSDEC today:
ReplyDeleteTo: Rui Feng <rjfeng@gw.dec.state.ny.us
Cc: Mark Tibbe <mctibbe@gw.dec.state.ny.us
Vadim Brevdo <vxbrevdo@gw.dec.state.ny.us
Subject: stalled development 267 6th Street
"Hello,
The stalled development site (former service station at 363 4th Avenue/development site
267 6th Street) next to our 35 unit property at 270 5th Street Brooklyn 11215, is a cause
of constant problems: the stagnant water was pumped out last week, but after the strong
rain, it is already filled again, in addition the fence came down on one side and the
site is now easily accessible. On top of this oil/gasoline surfaces and a strong smell of
benzene or other organic solvents is in the air all the time. What will be done about
this?"
Sincerely,
270 5th Street Coop board member
site was filled with some new dirt but not completely. is still flooded and has an awful petroleum stench still emanating.
ReplyDeletewas covered in the brooklyn paper: http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/33/15/33_15_sb_stinky_construction_site.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheBrooklynPaper-FullArticles+%28The+Brooklyn+Paper%3A+Full+articles%29
Thanks everyone for expressing your concerns and for keeping an eye out. Our office did a bit of digging and we have few updates on this site:
ReplyDeleteFirst, while Tona Development owns the site, BP, who used to operate a gas station there, is responsible for the clean up.
There is both a short-term problem and a long-term problem. The standing water on the site, which produces the stench, is runoff from other properties and contains diesel fuel and heating oil. Delta Environmental, BP’s contractor has committed to getting rid of the standing water and capping the site with soil by the end of this week. This will prevent standing water form accumulating on the site in the future.
There is also subsurface contamination about 15 feet under ground, which Delta was going to clean as a part of the development project, which is now stalled for financial reasons. There is currently no commitment to move forward with this aspect of the remediation anytime soon.
Our office will monitor to make sure that the short-term work is done, and done adequately. We will also follow-up to explore options to make sure the remediation proceeds (and what our options are if it does not). Please feel free to contact us for more details or with any questions or concerns.
Thanks,
Michael Curtin
Office of Councilmember Brad Lander
718-499-1090
mcurtin@council.nyc.gov
A bit more encouraging news: Delta Environmental is on the site right now pumping out water and preparing to install the backfill into the site. They hope to finish the job by Monday or Tuesday of next week, barring heavy rain.
ReplyDelete~Michael
Office of Councilmember Lander
Hello. I am considering purchasing an apt right across from this vacant lot. Can someone from the neighborhood please tell me if this oil/benzene odor is still present there or if the work has been done to eliminate the issue..? Much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteI would like to point out that while the development project has stalled for “financial reasons,” Tona Development (which is owned by Dominick Tonacchio) received $2,600,000 from Scott Rothstein's massive Ponzi scheme (in Florida) between August 26 and November 10 of 2009. This isn’t some myth, it’s on public record. $2.6 million received in less than 90 days. What happened to that money? Even if that money was committed elsewhere, Tona Development has a LONG HISTORY of screwing people. Tona Development was the sponsor owner in MULTIPLE park slope buildings (Novo, 678 Union, 270 1st Street) where there has been water damage for YEARS. New buildings with warranties that are ignored. I would happily supply an engineering report for our building, where it recommends that we have the entire roof replaced, reconstruct the ENTIRE brick veneer, repair all window lintels, install cap flashings on all roof penetrations and skylight risers, and more. Don’t make my mistake – don’t buy ANYTHING being sold by Tona Development.
ReplyDeleteHere’s the link that documents the cash received by Dominick Tonacchio:
http://databases.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/ftlaudrothCreditorPay/ftlaudrothsteinPayouts3_list.php?ctlSearchFor=&simpleSrchTypeComboNot=&a=integrated&id=1&criteria=and&type1=&value11=Domenick+Tonacchio&field1=Name+Cleaned&option1=Equals¬1=
recent rain has completely flooded the site again despite the so called "remediation" efforts done back in april.
ReplyDeleteit's also worth saying that the site has become filled with trash and, being on the corner with 4th avenue, is turning into a favorite place for people to dump their strange garbage both in the lot or on the sidewalk perimeter.
it would be nice if there was some short to medium term plan for the abandoned and unmaintained space (as well as the other similar case directly across the street) that turned them into some sort of community benefit rather than an eyesore and a de facto dump site. dollars to donuts, with the cold weather approaching, it will become another hazard with unshoveled walks and the like given the current situation.
Lots of water still visible = looks more like a pond than its original status as a swamp! No effort to correct. Can this and the lot across the street become community gardens? (This one could be used to raise fish!) The firehouse could grow its own vegetables! Not to mention some of the local restaurants.
ReplyDeleteOnce heard a group of young elementary school students express disgust over this stalled site. A bright young boy exclaimed, "You know what that is? THAT'S A RAT'S RIVER!!" The kids were in agreement, as am I.
ReplyDelete