Ugliest House Extension Ever!

caaahyoko · August 2007

I knew that the building around the corner from me was being renovated, but I had no idea this is what they were up to until today.

Basically, they are filling their entire backyard with a cinderblock box. I don't know, but it makes me suspicious. The house itself looks like its woodframe, so it seems really odd that they would add onto it like this. I wonder if they're going to build this "extension" and then just tear down the house in front of it. Seems like a good way to circumvent having to get approval for a new building.

Yes, I checked on DOBs website, they do have a permit for the extension. Look up 186 14th St here:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dob/html/bis/bis.shtml

Also, if this is living space, where are the windows??? It looks like there might be one or two on the back, but the whole thing looks more like a wearhouse than a house. Hmmm...what is going on in there??

Check out some pics I took. They're not great, as I was in a hurry to get to work. I'll try to take some better ones tomorrow.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/caaah/1149864281/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/caaah/1150660906/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/caaah/1150658434/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/caaah/1150655288/

armchair_warrior · August 2007

dont worry alot of times the cinder block isnt the finish product. they'll either add brick or stucko at when they are done.

caaahyoko · August 2007

Yeah, after I thought about it, I figured that would be the case. I think I was more thrown off guard by the size. Its weird to walk outside and see a building 50 or 100 feet closer to you all of a sudden!

veets · August 2007

Yes.. I bet you are feeling like someone is taking up too much space.. But if they keep the building off the back boundary of the lot I am pretty sure it is legal.. The distance is not much.. either 10 or 15 ft.. don't quote me on that.

caaahyoko · August 2007

I just feel bad for the people a few buildings down from mine who once had nice open air flow, and now will get to stare at a brick wall. I know how it sucks to be stuck in an airshaft facing apartment. But, yeah I wouldn't be surprised if the building is totally legal.

pitu · August 2007

Blech.
A place two buildings up from me built out their bottom floors like that, years ago. Then two years ago, two doors down on the other side built as far back and high as was legal. It's wretched -- totally cuts out the air and light in the other yards. The brick wall stores and radiates heat in the summer, it SUCKS.

My neighbor east of the build-outs is in a field of sun, growing tomato plants. Everybody downhill, too damn bad.

paraderest · August 2007

Those blocks are finished to be an external surface. I highly doubt that they plan on cover the blocks with another material.

charlesbklyn · August 2007

Subject: Extension madness

Caaahyoko,

I would do a few things just to make sure the renovation and extention are legal. Check the nyc.gov webspace for total area of a lot available for building in the zoning area. They probably do have some ability to add-on an extension. If they completely build on the lot, I would think that is not proper.

Of course, going to the zoning board before the owner gets approval is key ... and NYC does not facilitate real notice to adjacent landowners. So the first time you know, in legal terms, a creation of a nuisance has begun, is when you see cinderblock and steel blocking a once open space, or a view, or light or air. This fact was probably true for over a century, and an adjacent landowner owed as their property right. Say goodbye to those property rights. The zoning laws and government facilitated the taking, and it seems there is nothing to do.

A GOOD LANDOWNER asks their neighbors before they build and destroy existing views and light.

Unfortunately, we are in the stage of Brooklyn development I would decribe as "completely out of control." Many of these extensions are a clear creation of a classic nuisance, but yet the common law followed for centuries in this state now seems not to apply in New York City.

Charlesbklyn

Ugliest House Extension Ever!

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