Construction Incident At 360 Smith Street Yesterday

Before...



Now..
A view from First Place
(photo credit: Tim)

KSQ Architects' design for 360 Smith Street

K.S.Q.Architects' rendering of new subway plaza

Reader Tim posted the two photos above of Bill Stein's 360 Smith Street development on Pardon Me For Asking's Facebook page.
He writes:

"Just thought someone might like to see how our view has changed in three and a half months!"

I feel his pain. Steadily, the steel has been going up, blocking the sky and sunlight at the corner of Smith Street and Second Place.

Eventually, the building will top off at 7 stories, so Tim's view will be even more obscured.

The "Oliver House", as it was once called, has been in the works for quite some time now. When Developer Bill Stein first presented his plans to the community, he was met with opposition. Many in Carroll Gardens felt that his building was too high and looked too modern for this brownstone neighborhood and no one seemed to like his architect, Robert Scarano, who has quite an unsavory reputation.
(Just last week, Scarano was barred from filing any more permits with the NYC Department of Buildings.)

Stein eventually switched architects and had the plans (slightly) changed.


Construction at the 360 Smith Street/ 131 2nd Place started, but came to an abrupt halt in July 2008, when developer Bill Stein's "Oliver House" was slapped with a Stop Work Order immediately after the City Council passed the Carroll Gardens Wide Street Zoning Text Amendment, which limits permitted building density in Carroll Gardens.
Developer Stein promptly took his case in front of the Board of Standards and Appeals, that oh-so-contentious board that grants developers exemptions in cases such as this.

In order to be able to continue, Mr. Stein had to prove that a significant portion of the project's foundation had been completed before the Stop Work Order went into effect. Though inspectors from the NYC Department of Buildings determined that only 20% of the foundation had been completed, the BSA gave Stein what he wanted at a hearing in November 2008. The Stop Work Order was lifted. He was now free to proceed. By September 2009, construction resumed.


The eventual inhabitants of 360 Smith Street will forever have 360 views, but all other residents of Carroll Gardens will have to live with a monolithic building and a darkened sky over that corner of the neighborhood.

Related reading:

Construction Incident At 360 Smith Street Yesterday

Did You See This Happen? Man Injured By Falling Construction Fence At 360 Smith Street

2nd Place Subway Station Now History

Last Glance At Old Carroll Gardens Subway Plaza on Second Place

Boom, Boom...Construction Resumes At 360 Smith Street

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