And The Fun Continues At Problematic Construction Site On Smith Street At Douglass Street

Construction site at 232-240 Smith Street

From DoB's web site

view of the black shed that fell onto site from neighboring property

Adjacent property at 57 Douglass Street, which was damaged by work on 232-240 Smith Street

Oops, it happened again! The NYC Department Of Buildings issued yet another violations to the problematic construction site at 232-240 Smith Street near Douglass Street. This latest SWO and Class 1 violation were issued because 'site conditions are 'endangering workers.' Apparently, a large shed tumbled into the big hole in the ground from a property next door.

That brings the number of complaints against this property over the years to 121. There have been over 62 violations issued, as well as 90 ECB violations, of which 10 are still open.

Granted, some of the violations date to before construction started on this site, but the majority were issued while it has been in progress.
This ineptitude has even caused a 'vacate order' for the property next door at 57 Douglass Street when that building was damaged during underpinning work in October 2018.

Here is some background on the 232-240 Smith Street site:
The long saga of this construction site started about 12 years ago with the demolition of several one story buildings that housed a few stores and a then-popular Argentinian restaurant named Sur, which helped spark Smith Street's revival. During a decade, nothing happened on the lot except for violations handed out by the NYC Department Of Buildings for 'failure to maintain construction fence."

Finally, in 2015, Commercial Observer reported that "Madison Realty Capital provided Brooklyn-based Second Development Services with a short-term $9 million loan for the acquisition and development of 232 Smith Street." Louis Greco of SDS told the Observer that he is planning a 15,000-square-foot retail building on the site.

D.o.B. permits were filed by OCV Architects shortly afterwards and by the fall of 2016 work finally began and... stopped. Within weeks, the D.o.B. issued a stop work order for "failure to notify DOB within 24-48 hours of the start of excavation" and for 'failure to safeguard all persons and property."
In addition, the site regularly fills up with water and there have been problems with the sewer lines.

It had been announced to the community that a Crunch Fitness would be the tenant in this new building. A rendering of the building with the Crunch logo has been removed from the construction site recently.

At this point, perhaps we should all be concerned about the site's proximity to the F/G subway line, which runs parallel to the site.

If the construction team is so inept, who is to say that the subway tunnel will not be compromised?

That sure would be a headache for the entire neighborhood...and everyone that uses those two lines in BRooklyn.

Read more

Yet Another Stop Work Order For 232-240 Smith Street After Construction Work Undermines Building Next Door

Construction site at 232-240 Smith Street at Douglass Street

FDNY at construction site this past Friday, October 5th

The latest S.W.O. issued on 10/05/2018

Damage to adjacent building at 57 Douglass Street

New scaffolding on 57 Douglass Street

No construction site in Carroll Gardens has been more problematic than the one at 232-240 Smith Street at the corner of Douglass Street. Not only has the construction fence around the site taken up the sidewalk for years, but the excavation work has caused quite a lot of problems, which earned it an astonishing number of Stop Work Orders.

And the problems continue to pile up.
Yet another full Stop Work Order was issued by the NYC Department of Buildings after the adjacent property at 57 Douglass Street was compromised.
This past Friday, the NYC Fire Department responded to a 311 call reporting that the small building was shaking and that its façade had developed cracks. The Fire Department stayed on site until Building Department inspectors were able to assess the situation.
By evening,  a scaffolding had been erected in front of 57 Douglass and the S,W.O. issued to the construction site for "failure to protect the adjoining property."

Here is some background on the 232-240 Smith Street site:
The long saga of this construction site started about 12 years ago with the demolition of several one story buildings that housed a few stores and a then-popular Argentinian restaurant named Sur, which helped spark Smith Street's revival. During a decade, nothing happened on the lot except for violations handed out by the NYC Department Of Buildings for 'failure to maintain construction fence."

Finally, in 2015, Commercial Observer reported that "Madison Realty Capital provided Brooklyn-based Second Development Services with a short-term $9 million loan for the acquisition and development of 232 Smith Street." Louis Greco of SDS told the Observer that he is planning a 15,000-square-foot retail building on the site.

D.o.B. permits were filed by OCV Architects shortly afterwards and by the fall of 2016 work finally began and... stopped. Within weeks, the D.o.B. issued a stop work order for "failure to notify DOB within 24-48 hours of the start of excavation" and for 'failure to safeguard all persons and property."

In addition, the site regularly fills up with water and there have been problems with the sewer lines.

To this date, 232-240 Smith Street has amassed an impressive 102 complaints, 48 D.O.B. violations and 73 Environmental Control Board (ECB) violations. 

It had been announced to the community that a Crunch Fitness would be the tenant in this new building. At the rate construction is going, it will be a while before the gym opens.

Read more

12 Years And Counting: Yet Another Stop Work Order For The 232 Smith Street Construction Site

How many years, how many stop work orders and how many violations will it take before the planned two-story building at 232-240 Smith Street will be completed?

For almost twelve years now, a wooden fence has surrounded the empty lot at the corner of Smith and Douglass Street. The long saga of this construction site started with the demolition of several one story buildings that housed a few stores and a then-popular Argentinian restaurant named Sur that helped spark Smith Street's revival.  During a decade, nothing happened on the lot except for violations handed out by the NYC Department Of Buildings for 'failure to maintain construction fence."

Finally, in 2015, Commercial Observer reported that "Madison Realty Capital provided Brooklyn-based Second Development Services with a short-term $9 million loan for the acquisition and development of 232 Smith Street." Louis Greco of SDS told the Observer that he is planning a 15,000-square-foot retail building on the site. 

D.o.B. permits were filed by OCV Architects shortly afterwards and by the fall of 2016 work finally began and... stopped. Within weeks, the D.o.B. issued a stop work order for "failure to notify DOB within 24-48 hours of the start of excavation" and for 'failure to safeguard all persons and property" as well as " doing damage to the adjacent building."

Since then, the site has been an open dirt pit that regularly fills with water. It appeared lately that the contractor was ready to begin work again, and the site was promptly hit with yet another complete stop work order on February 21. This newest one seems to be related to the sewer line and sewer water that needs to be pumped out of the site.

To this date, 232-240 Smith Street has amassed an impressive 97 complaints, 48 D.O.B. violations and 72 Environmental Control Board (ECB) violations, of which four are still currently open. Most of these were issued since 2006, when the property changed hands.

It had been announced to the community that a Crunch Fitness would be the tenant in this new building. At the rate construction is going, it will be a while before the gym opens.

Read more

Construction Has Halted At 232-240 Smith Street Due To Buildings Department's Issuance Of "Stop Work Order"

For more than ten years, a construction fence surrounding a long neglected lot at 232-240 Smith Street at the corner of Douglass Streets was either collapsing or blocking half of the sidewalk, which angered many in the community.  Finally, at the end of 2016,  the NYC Department Of Buildings issued permits for a 15,000-square-foot two-story commercial building and a crew started to excavate the site.

And then, work stopped again.  A quick search on the Department of Building's web site indicated that a fine and stop work order were issued at the end of 2016 for "failure to notify DOB within 24-48 hours of the start of excavation." and for 'failure to safeguard all persons and property" as well as " doing damage to the adjacent building."

It is interesting to note that the stop-work-order has not been posted on the construction fence.

Obviously, it will take a while longer before the new building is completed. 

Incidentally, the new tenant, Crunch Fitness, has already been announced.

Read more

Construction Has Finally Begun On The Long Neglected Lot At The Corner Of Smith And Douglass Streets

More than ten years ago, a one story building at 232-240 Smith Street at the corner of Douglass Street was demolished.   The building housed several stores and a then-popular Argentinian restaurant named Sur that helped spark Smith Street's revival.
During all this time, the large empty lot  has amassed an impressive amount of violations from NYC Department Of Buildings, including violations for 'failure to maintain construction fence." In  fact, the wooden construction fence, when not in the process of collapsing,  has blocked most of the sidewalk along Smith Street, which has become a pet peeve amongst many local residents.
Finally, in 2015, Commercial Observer reported that "Madison Realty Capital provided Brooklyn-based Second Development Services with a short-term $9 million loan for the acquisition and development of 232 Smith Street."  Louis Greco of SDS told the Observer that he is planning a 15,000-square-foot retail building on the site. In recent months, D.o.B. permits have been filed by OCV Architects for a two story structure.

A few days ago, reader Mary reached out to PMFA to say that equipment has been moved into the empty lot.  Yesterday, a crew was working on the site.

Are you glad to see that something is finally being done with that lot?

Read more

A Jungle Grows On Smith Street

Once upon a time, several one-story buildings stood at the corner of Smith and Douglass Street. About 15 years ago, one of them housed SUR, a popular Argentinian steakhouse that helped spark Smith Street's revival. Another was home to a bicycle shop, if my memory serves me right.

By 2006, the stores closed, and shortly afterwards, the buildings were demolished, presumably to make way for a new building.

Since then, the big empty lot at 232-240 Smith Street, has been sitting empty and in the last few years, its owner, SON CLAIRE REALTY LLC, has amassed not only a Stop Work Order from DOB, but also a very impressive amount of violations for 'work without permit' as well as for 'failure to maintain construction fence" from NYC Department Of Buildings.

In addition, fines adding up to several thousand dollars have been imposed.

Yet, on a regular basis, sections of the plywood fence continue to warp or to fall down as well as restrict half of the sidewalk on the Smith Street side.

Over the years, trees and weeds have taken over the lot.  Neighbors continue to call 311, without much result, it would seem.



Read more