New Building Rising At Site Of Illegal Tear-Down On Smith Street, But Not Without Problems.

200 Smith sStreet in early 2010

The site in Ovtober 2010 after the building was demolished illegally 

September 2012. The site with new steel frame going up

Many of you may remember the three-story, aluminum-clad house that once stood at number 200 Smith Street, at the corner of Baltic Street. It's ground floor retail space was home to a string of restaurants, the most recent being Jennie's Brooklyn Kitchen.

In 2009, architect Shiming Tam filed permits for a horizontal enlargement of the three-story building with NYC Department Of Buildings and scaffolding went up shortly afterwards.

But instead of adding to the third floor, the entire building was demolished overnight and the debris was carted away before anyone knew what had happened.

The DOB issued a complete stop work order for demolition without required permits in December 2010. The agency accepted a certificate of correction in May 2011.

New plans for a three story, two dwelling apartment house were by new architect Jon K Yung of MY-Architect in August, but they were disapproved.

However, just in the few weeks, construction at the site has started again. A steel frame has been errected and brick work has commenced on the first story.

Promptly, the DOB issued a partial stop work order for expired scaffolding on September 20th, 2012.

At this rate, it will be a while before a new building is completed.

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Rats Overrun Site Of Illegal Demo On Smith

200 Smith Street in Fall of 2010

Back in December 2010, permits for a horizontal enlargement at the 3rd floor were issued by the NYC Department of Buildings at 200 Smith Street, a non-descript old house that had endured its fair share of remuddling over the last few decades. However, instead of building an addition, the entire house was taken down in a matter of days. The debris was carted away in dumpsters at night and by the time the D.o.B responded to several 311 calls, the lot was vacant. D.o.B. immediately issued a Stop Work Order. That, however, was fully rescinded on April 18th, though there are several Environmental Control Board (ECB) violation still open on this property, including one for the demo.

Since the demolition, local residents have had to deal with a rather nasty problems: rats. And lots of them. Since the empty lot sits right over the F/G subway line, the critters have crawled out of the subway tunnel en masse. It sure doesn't help that the building site has not fully been cleaned. Tons of debris was left behind.

Even more disturbing is the giant hole in the former building's foundation. One can look right into its basement. No wonder rats have taken over.

One area resident wrote into Pardon Me to tell me that the rodents "come out mostly on garbage nights and quickly scurry back under the scaffolding whenever someone walks by. But they are always there, and in numbers. The other night one ran over my girlfriends foot!" That is truly disgusting.

One wonders a) why the owner of the site has not had to secure it fully, and b) why he has not had to bait properly. Apparently, the city has not yet responded to several 311 calls made by nearby residents.

Related posts:

200 Smith Street Gets Served With Complete Stop Work Order

#200 Smith Street: Now You See It, Now You Don't

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200 Smith Street Gets Served With Complete Stop Work Order

 200 Smith Street In October 2010

Gone by November 14th  2010

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Local residents were more than a bit surprised back in mid-November, when the three-story  structure at 200 Smith Street/325 Baltic Street that once housed Jessie's Brooklyn Kitchen was entirely demolished.  From start to finish, the demolition only took a few days, especially since construction crews worked late into the evening and threw the debris right into a waiting dump truck that carted everything away immediately.   

No wonder crews worked so quickly: it turns out that the demolition of the building was illegal.

The NYC Department Of Buildings had only issued permits for a "proposed horizontal enlargement of the 3rd floor", not a complete demo. After several 311 calls were made by local residents, the agency issued a complete stop-work order on December 6th.  The violation reads:

"Existing three-story building approx. 23'x30' has been demolished to grade level without required permit. Stop work order issued pursuant to 28-2072 and posted at site."

Of course, the former building at the site, with its vinyl windows and red siding, had lost its dignity long ago.  However, one can only imagine what will be built in its place. Stay tuned.

Related Reading:

#200 Smith Street: Now You See It, Now You Don't

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#200 Smith Street: Now You See It, Now You Don't

Number 200 Smith Street In October 2010

A view of the building from Baltic Street in August 2009

And now...gone

Since when does a NYC Department Of Buildings permit for "proposed horizontal enlargement of 3rd floor" mean that you can take the entire structure down?  Yet that is exactly what happened to number 200 Smith Street at the corner of Baltic Street in Boerum Hill.  As first reported by Brownstoner,  demolition of the three-story structure began last week on Wednesday.  By Friday evening, most of the building was gone, dumped into a huge truck parked in front, ready to drive the debris evidence away.  


Now, I don't claim to understand the nuances of a Building Department permit, but the one posted on the construction fence sure doesn't state anything about a full demolition, does it?  


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At The Corner Of Smith And Baltic, Action At Two Adjacent Storefronts

The short-lived "Jessie's Kitchen", at the intersection of Smith and Baltic Street, has been closed for more than two years now.  However, in the last few days, the storefront  at # 200 Smith is finally seeing some action. A plywood fence has been erected around the storefront, but a quick check on the NYC Department Of Building's web site reveals that the entire building will be undergoing a major renovation with a "proposed horizontal enlargement at 3rd floor" at an estimated cost of $60 k. ( The building already has a two story extension along the Baltic Street side.  Obviously, the plan is to expand on that extension on the third floor level.)
No indication yet on what is going into the storefront.


Right across the street, at 202 Smith Street, interior work is being done on the existing commercial space.
Until recently, the space was occupied by the A & H Tobacco And Candy store.
Most probably, we'll get yet another eatery there.

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