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Brooklyn: Architect Settles Charges — Brooklynian

Brooklyn: Architect Settles Charges

sevenoneeighty
sevenoneeighty
edited November -1 in Prospect Heights
Today's NY Times:

I think this includes the wonderful Spencer building....but I could be wrong, It means he can no longer "Slef CErtify" his own documents. A controversial practice anyway.

Brooklyn: Architect Settles Charges

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By WILLIAM NEUMAN
Published: August 4, 2006

Robert M. Scarano Jr., an architect who has been active during Brooklyn’s construction boom, agreed this week to settle charges brought by the Buildings Department that he violated zoning rules or building codes in the design of more than two dozen apartment buildings. The city said that many of his buildings were larger than allowed by zoning, and it also charged that he failed to guarantee safe conditions at a construction site where a worker was killed in March. Mr. Scarano agreed to drop out of a program that allows architects to approve their own plans without regular review from the Buildings Department. His building designs will now have to be approved by city examiners. The settlement specified that it was not an admission of guilt or liability by Mr. Scarano.

Spencer building info:

http://tinyurl.com/el28g

Comments

  • ana.log
    ana.log
    Scarano is the architect for a building being constructed on St Marks Ave which is directly behind my building (my bedroom looks directly out on the construction). Our building and several near us were damaged when they first started driving piles for the foundation -- several people were inspired to write on this very board about the insane noise and intense vibrations that rocked the neighborhood (and damaged our foundations) for days.

    Scarano's website says the building was scheduled for completion in March 2006 ... though it's very FAR from being complete at this writing.
  • armchair_warrior
    armchair_warrior
    Scarano is scum should of been jailed. not just this lousy slap in the wrist deal.
  • apollonia666
    apollonia666
    Guess this means the Scarano building going up next door to mine -- right on the other side of my living room wall, as a matter of fact -- will start up again. GREAT.
  • sevenoneeighty
    sevenoneeighty
    Hey,

    Attention if you live next to a new construction site with foundation work, a few tips.
    This is going to sound outrageous but you wouldn’t believe some of the stuff that goes on in this city and you should know your rights and the law.
    This developer group in particular sounds like a real group of sharks.

    Be very diligent when it comes to foundation work next to your (older) existing structure – especially pre-war buildings. Sometimes their foundations are older and fragile and can shift or move with new work. There are a lot of “cowboys out there trying to save money and this guy is one of them. They will dig foundations without using proper procedure or structural reinforcement and the DOB cannot catch everyone. When things go bad, they usually go bad for the existing buildings structure because of improper procedure. If your building shifts several inches because of their work, it can mean serious problems for you.

    1.Make sure the new foundation work is properly filed with the building department; use the NYC DOB website to confirm (for larger buildings this work should be filed SEPARATELY from the general building work. (http://www.nyc.gov/html/dob/html/home/home.shtml)
    2.Check/ ask who is responsible for the controlled inspections at the site and how often they are there performing inspections. Get a name and a P.E. license number. If they don’t have anyone doing or they don’t have a license, call 311 and let them know work is not being performed properly.
    3.Ask if there are any monuments/ markers being placed on the adjacent properties to monitor movement (there will be movement) if not, call 311.
    4.Take pictures of your basement and walls adjacent to the new foundation work and document any cracking – call 311 immediately.
    5.Report any stagnant water on site , this indicates improper draining and can make things worse on site for your foundation.
    6.Ask the site supervisor to see the drawings – they should be perforated and stamped as approved by the NYC DOB. If you cannot see them, go to the Brooklyn DOB and ask for a copy of them (have the block and lot number) and get info from the permits that should be posted. If they are not posted visibly or have expired, call 311. This is all public information and no one can keep it from you.
    7.Ask to see the soil report and site survey (or go to the DOB and look at the project folder)
    8.They should be drilling piles and not driving (pounding) them if your foundation is very close to their building.

    Good Luck!
  • apollonia666
    apollonia666
    Good info, SevenOneEighty. Fortunately, my building is new (three years) but I will definitely follow up with some of this.

    Edited to add:

    Oh, lookie! They registered my compaint in May about kids playing in the construction site:
    http://tinyurl.com/rrxqd

    Didn't DO anything and said it was safe, though. Which is b.s. But at least an inspector was there on Monday after I called it in on Friday evening.
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