Despite An Impressive Amount Of "Stop Work Orders", Construction Of New Building At 467 Union Street Progresses

Problems with the construction of a new four story one-family house at 467 Union Street between Hoyt and Bond Street began almost as soon as the work began back in 2012.

Since then, the project has amassed an impressive 35 complaints, 7 NYC Department Of Buildings violations and 14 Environmental Control Board violations, many of which are still unresolved. The DoB has also slapped the site with quite a few full stop work orders, one of which is still in effect. Despite the stop work order, construction has slowly progressed over the past few month.

The new building now towers over its smaller neighbors. Just recently, huge glass windows have been installed on the façade side of the building.

Once featured as a House Of The Day on Brownstoner, the original building at 467 Union Street was marketed by Corcoran as a teardown. After some time on the market, it was eventually sold for $377,000 in March 2012 to Jill and John Bouratoglou, the husband and wife team behind Bouratoglou Architect, PC. Shortly after purchasing the property, the Bouratoglou's filed for building remits.

Right from the start, this project ran into major problems. Back in September 2012. excavation work caused severe structural cracks to the neighboring building at 465 Union Street. In response, NYC Department Of Buildings imposed the first Stop Work Order for number 467. The agency also issued a Vacate Order to number 465.

In May, 2013, a second Stop Work Order was issued because the construction project had "changed the water course, blocking the natural water drainage under the foundation, creating flooding of neighboring properties at #463 and 465."

After construction had been stalled, the Bouratoglou's sold the land to Gowanus Upreal, L.L.C. for $900,00 in June 2013. Though the building actually started to go up, more problems were in store.

Next door neighbors continue to experience problems stemming from construction. One of the twenty complaints listed on the DOB website cites water coming through the common wall, causing flooding in neighor's basement, wrecking the boiler and blockage of the chimney. A new Stop Work Order was issued on January 6th, 2014.

Since then, the DoB has issued violations that include work that does not conform to approved construction permits. Just recently, on January 28th, 2015, a  violation was issued in regards to an elevator shaft that connects to all four floors.  Trouble was, the elevator shaft had never been approved.

So the question is, how come the current stop work order has not been displayed on the wooden construction fence? And more importantly, how come progress is still being made on this building?