ALERT: Sunset Park Developer Attempts to Illegally Build 12-Story Building
DEVELOPER OF 420 42ND ST., BROOKLYN, ATTEMPTS TO ILLEGALLY SKIRT D.O.B. ZONING LAWS TO BUILD 12-STORY BUILDING IN SUNSET PARK
THE FACTS ABOUT 420 42ND STREET AND ITS POTENTIAL IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY OF SUNSET PARK:
>The developer of 420 42nd St., Kenneth Wong/Chinese American Federation (420 42nd Street, LLC), his contractor Johnny Chan, and his architect, James L. Robinson (Robinson Architects, P.C.), propose a 12-story, 31-unit (with two luxury penthouse units and TWO community facilities) building on a two- and three-story rowhouse block in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.
>The original architectural plans for this 12-story building were submitted to the Department of Buildings under the “professional certification” program (a.k.a. “self-certification”), bypassing a full plan audit.
>This 12-story building will impair the scenic views from the top of Sunset Park of the skyline and obliterate the Park view of the historic tower of St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church (built 1870). It will be built in the area of Sunset Park listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
>This 12-story building will also marginalize the view from the 9-11 Memorial Grove in Sunset Park, a location picked specifically for its views of the NYC skyline and Brooklyn neighborhoods.
>The residents of 42nd and 43rd Streets, our community groups and Community Board 7 asked the Dept. of Buildings to review the professionally certified plans for the proposed 12-story building. The resulting D.O.B. audit found 37 violations and a Stop Work Order was issued. Major violations that invalidate the now-illegal work permits include:
•Failure to submit a full and accurate set of architectural plans
•Failure to properly calculate the FAR (floor area ratio) and building height for a 12-story building
•No rear yard on site through illegal use of Community Facilities in plans equaling 85% lot coverage
The architect and his partners have made it clear to the community that they will build as large as possible with no care given to their neighbors’ quality of life, which will be affected by their 12-story building.
The community of Sunset Park and its neighbors in Greenwood Heights and South Park Slope DEMAND that the development of 420 42nd Street be done in a legal, safe and contextual manner. ILLEGAL PLANS have been submitted to build a 12-story building that is not only NOT CONTEXTUAL IN A TWO- AND THREE-STORY ROWHOUSE NEIGHBORHOOD, but it will block the scenic views from Sunset Park, one of the highest points in Brooklyn, and plunge neighboring buildings into shadow!
For more information, call 718.852.7630 or e-mail [email protected]
Check out video coverage on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AzGxCJ2Wxs
—
Aaron Brashear
Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Hts.
P. / F. 718.852.7630
[email protected]
SUPPORT CONTEXTUAL NEW DEVELOPMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY!