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BLS graduates sue BLS

By on February 5, 2012 3:18 pm in Brooklyn Heights, Education, Legal

In a brief news item reported Sunday, February 5, 2012, WNYC radio discussed litigation brought against four law schools in New York State, one of which is Brooklyn Law School.  In dispute is whether the four law schools exaggerated the salaries and employment statistics of their graduates, which enticed people to attend these institutions.  Does this make an important Brooklyn Heights neighborhood institution look bad?

Another factor which makes this case noteworthy is that some of the plaintiffs are represented by attorney Jesse Strauss, former candidate for the Male District Leader of the 52nd Assembly District.  Further intriguing is that Mr. Strauss is also a graduate of Brooklyn Law School. Continue Reading →

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NYTimes looks at Appellate Division on Monroe Place

By on January 26, 2012 12:46 am in Architecture, Brooklyn Heights, Legal

Recently, the NYTimes offered a superficial and frustrating article entitled: “A Judgeship With Prestige, and, Oh, What a Grand Room“.  The article fails to include any significant historical or architectural information about this building.  On the bright side, at least the St. Ann’s “smoking lounge” didn’t get included in the photo.  Continue Reading →

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Update on Billboard: “Not Illegal” says TA

Update on Billboard: “Not Illegal” says TA

By on January 20, 2012 10:34 pm in Environment, Legal

Following up on our inquiry, prompted by reader Andrew Porter, Brooklyn Heights Association Executive Director Judy Stanton got on the phone and found that the City Department of Buildings has no jurisdiction over the billboard (see photo) near the north end of the Promenade, because it is affixed to a building owned by the Transit Authority. Ms. Stanton then called the TA, and was told “that the sign is securely bolted to the wall and is level with the rooftop to minimize wind resistance and was installed under MTA/NYCT structural engineering specification.” Since it is evidently a source of revenue for the cash-strapped TA, it’s unlikely they’ll yield to community pressure to remove it. (Photo: McBrooklyn.)

Update: Federal legislation may provide another means of getting rid of the billboard. See BHB Ten honoree Tony Manheim’s comment on this post.

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Billboard Near BQE and Promenade Illegal?

Billboard Near BQE and Promenade Illegal?

By on January 20, 2012 12:58 am in Legal, Transportation

Responding to our post about an illegal billboard that was blown down by last Friday’s high winds and blocked the southbound lanes of the BQE, a local resident noted that there is an illegal–because it is within 200 feet of a highway–billboard near Brooklyn Heights. It can be seen in the photo and from the north end of the Promenade quite clearly. Within your correspondent’s now fading memory, it has always advertised Apple products (the photo was taken in June of 2010, when the iPad was the latest gadget). Reader Andrew Porter forwarded the complaint to us, and to Brooklyn Heights Association executive director Judy Stanton, who gave the hopeful response, “If it is illegal it shouldn’t be hard to get DOB to enforce it.”

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State Court Rules Bloomberg Administration and State Acted Improperly in Tobacco Warehouse Transfer

By on December 13, 2011 5:32 pm in brooklyn bridge park, Government, Landmark Preservation, Legal

While the attempted turnover of the Tobacco Warehouse for use as a new home for St. Ann’s Warehouse Theater was effectively stopped by a federal court’s decision in July (and St. Ann’s has found a new, if temporary, home in DUMBO), a New York State court ruled in a parallel action brought by the same plaintiffs as the federal one–the Brooklyn Heights Association, the Fulton Ferry Landing Association, the New York Landmarks Conservancy, and the Preservation League of New York State–that the actions of both the city and state governments in transferring the historic structure were a “nullity because [they] violated New York’s public trust doctrine.” Continue Reading →

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Riverside Trees in Their Youth: Early 1900s

Riverside Trees in Their Youth: Early 1900s

By on October 16, 2011 12:40 am in History, Landmark Preservation, Legal, Nature

To counter allegations by Pinnacle Group, which seeks to remove the trees in the courtyard between the A.T. White Riverside Apartments and the BQE to build an underground parking garage, that the trees are of recent growth, Bill Ringler, President of the Riverside Tenants’ Association, has done some sleuthing and found this photo, dating from the early 1900s and published in Hayes Historical Journal — A Journal of the Gilded Age, Volume IX, Number 1 (Fall 1989). Continue Reading →

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Riverside Garage Proposal Raises its Head Again

Riverside Garage Proposal Raises its Head Again

By on October 13, 2011 3:01 pm in Development, Government, Legal, News, Real Estate

Over three years ago, we noted that the proposal by landlord Pinnacle Group to build a parking garage in the courtyard between the A.T. White Riverside Apartments and the BQE, which would entail destruction of a grove of mature trees (see photo) as well as disruption of tenants’ lives, was “proving harder to kill than Rasputin.” Just over a year ago, the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal denied Pinnacle’s request to re-open its previously denied application for permission to construct the garage. Earlier this year, a court upheld the DHCR’s decision. Now, it seems, Pinnacle’s ba-a-a-ack. Continue Reading →

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Occupy Montague Street? Would-be Buyer Protests Corcoran’s Business Practices

Occupy Montague Street? Would-be Buyer Protests Corcoran’s Business Practices

By on October 9, 2011 7:15 pm in Brooklyn Heights, Legal, Real Estate

This afternoon David Huber set up signs and handed out leaflets in front of the Corcoran real estate office at Montague and Henry streets, telling any passers by with the time and curiosity to listen about his frustration in dealing with the large real estate broker. In a nutshell, he says Corcoran showed him a studio apartment he liked, he signed a contract, arranged for a mortgage, and incurred out-of-pocket expenses preparing to buy, but after three months learned that the apartment lacked a required certificate of occupancy. At this time, he said, the Corcoran agent “quickly wished me goodbye.” Continue Reading →

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Magic Johnson in Foul Trouble at 20 Henry

By on September 23, 2011 3:20 pm in Development, Legal, News, Real Estate

As we’ve previously noted, the conversion of the “Candy Factory” building at 20 Henry Street to luxury condos, being done on behalf of Canyon Johnson Urban Funds, a developer controlled by basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, has been picketed by the Carpenters’ Union and taken to task by City Council Member Steve Levin for using a contractor, Leviathan Construction Management, that Levin alleged was “irresponsible” about safety. In the latest development, Leviathan is being sued by other unions that allege it is nothing but a sham entity set up by a big construction company to avoid union contracts. Continue Reading →

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Squadron Offers LGBT Resource Page

By on August 17, 2011 10:18 pm in Government, Legal

State Senator Daniel Squadron, who was an enthusiastic supporter of the successful effort to bring marriage equality to New York, is concerned about legal and bureaucratic problems that remain for LGBT couples, and has created a resource page to assist in identifying and dealing with such problems.

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Fortune House Closing May Be Result of Legal Troubles

By on July 25, 2011 11:46 pm in Food, Legal

The closing of Fortune House, a popular Chinese restaurant on Henry Street, may have been caused by legal problems, in the form of a lawsuit by employees.

McBrooklyn: The restaurant is being sued by three employees — Manuel Chiqui, Angel Miranda-Alvarado and Eddie Miranda-Vasquez — in a case related to the Fair Labor Standards Act. The Act covers issues like minimum wage ($7.25), overtime pay, record-keeping, and youth employment standards.

According to McBrooklyn, the place’s official name is “Golden Nut Restaurant” and the suit was filed July 8 in the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Perhaps it has landed on Judge Vitaliano’s docket.

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Court Nixes St. Ann’s Use of Tobacco Warehouse

Court Nixes St. Ann’s Use of Tobacco Warehouse

By on July 14, 2011 12:18 am in Arts and Entertainment, brooklyn bridge park, Landmark Preservation, Legal, Theater

Last April, Judge Eric Vitaliano of the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of New York issued a preliminary injunction against the transfer of the Tobacco Warehouse in the Fulton Ferry Historic to St. Ann’s Warehouse as a new home for its theater and performing arts space. On Tuesday, as expected, he reaffirmed his earlier decision.

The New York Times: Citing environmental protection and conservation law, Judge Vitaliano ruled that it was “crystal clear” the [National P]ark [S]ervice acted outside its authority by removing both the Tobacco Warehouse and Empire Stores, another waterfront structure in Dumbo, from classification as federally designated parkland. Continue Reading →

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Flash: Court Upholds Order Barring Riverside Garage Construction

By on May 15, 2011 2:05 pm in Brooklyn Heights, Development, Landmark Preservation, Legal, News

Bill Ringler, President of the Riverside Tenants’ Association, has advised us that the court hearing the appeal of the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal’s decision denying Pinnacle Group, landlord for the A.T. White Riverside Apartments, permission to destroy a courtyard and several mature trees that lie between the apartments and the BQE to build a parking garage, has decided to uphold the DHCR’s decision. Pinnacle, represented by Heights resident and former City Council member Ken Fisher, has filed an appeal.

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Controversial Attorney Alan Young Has Passed Away

By on April 22, 2011 2:40 pm in Legal, Obituaries

Alan Young, partner in the Busy Chef/Blue Pig controversy has apparently passed away. No cause was given—the only information I have was a letter I received today telling me where to send my rent check (Alan Young was also my landlord) and that he had passed away April 5th. A search of the social security index, however, says that he died March 28th.

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Federal Court Rules Park Service Violated Law by Allowing Transfer of Tobacco Warehouse, Empire Stores

By on April 10, 2011 8:25 pm in brooklyn bridge park, Government, Landmark Preservation, Legal, News

Federal District Judge Eric Vitaliano issued a memorandum and order granting a preliminary injunction directing the National Park Service to protect the Tobacco Warehouse and the nearby Empire Stores, another Civil War era structure, from being transferred for private development. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, counsel for the plaintiffs–the Brooklyn Heights Association, the Fulton Ferry Landing Association, the New York Landmarks Conservancy, and the Preservation League of New York State, issued a press release characterizing the wording of the memorandum as “stinging”; noting that the Judge called the Park Service’s arguments a “house of cards” and holding that its action was in violation both of the governing federal statute and of the Service’s own regulations. Continue Reading →

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