CHA Prexy Jeff Strabone scored a major victory this week in preserving the Cobble Hill Historic District when the Department of Buildings reversed its decision to allow Two Trees to build cabanas at 194 Atlantic Avenue. Actually the DOB had approved “stair bulkheads” and the crafty Strabone and the CHA caught them in the act of deception:
CHA Blog: We thought we had won last November when the City Council voted to deny the height variance, but Two Trees pulled a fast one and very nearly got away with it: they submitted plans to the Department of Buildings and to City Planning that showed six rooftop structures labelled as ‘stair bulkheads’. These structures were in fact sixth-floor penthouses fraudulently posing as bulkheads on official plans.
We never gave up, even after Two Trees went ahead and built the structures. Last month, we went to the building’s open house and were given the marketing material [here].
As you can see, the marketing material clearly says ‘PENTHOUSE’. And yes, the very same structure was called ‘STAIR BULKEAD’ on the plans. That means that Two Trees flat-out lied to the city by submitting a set of dummy official plans. Naturally, we sent the document to DOB.
And our pals at the Brooklyn Paper add:
Brooklyn Paper: Walentas building….: “They were caught red-handed,” said Jeff Strabone, president of the Cobble Hill Association. “If they get more [than 50 feet], than the historic designation means nothing.”
Marketing materials from Two Trees management confirmed the suspicions of their critics — and indeed were the smoking gun that led to the city’s latest decision to revoke the permits. Images from the brochures, obtained by The Brooklyn Paper, show the layout of the top floor apartments indicate that they each have access to a private “penthouse,” a far cry from a mere stairway.
Nice job Strabone!
Let’s see what happens now.
Good for you. Rules should apply to everyone. If you don’t like the rule, don’t ignore it — work to change it for everyone.
Peter
http://www.FlashlightWorthyBooks.com
Recommending books so good, they’ll keep you up past your bedtime.
Sneaky bastards.
Way to go, Strabone!
Sure, the middle school will be built at Dock Street.
They will be penthouse apts.