We have an update on 183 E. Broadway, a stalled construction project that’s been a neighborhood eyesore and a danger to pedestrians for nearly three years. In July, the city’s Board of Standards and Appeals granted owner Norman Wong the variances he needed, and work has resumed there in recent weeks.
The mixed-use building, which is being developed by Wai Sun Realty, has been plagued with various issues related to zoning and permitting. The city’s buildings department has logged 25 complaints and 35 violations at that address, including an incident in which a passerby was injured by a piece of scaffolding that fell from the sidewalk structure in June of this year.
After many revisions, the plan now calls for a six-story, 80-foot-tall building with 25 apartments; the original proposal included 12 stories of residential on the bottleneck-shaped lot. Demolition of the previous building, an 80-year-old residential and commercial structure, was complete and construction had begun when the project was halted in early 2009 . City officials deemed it in violation of various regulations, including the city’s “sliver law,” which sets specific requirements for buildings that straddle whole blocks. The building lot stretches from East Broadway to Henry Street, with 26 feet of frontage on East Broadway and 44 feet of frontage on Henry. The apartments will occupy the second through sixth floors while the ground floor will consist of retail space on East Broadway and a community space on Henry Street.
Community Board 3 lent support to the owner’s appeal of the “stop work” order in October 2010, saying in a resolution that the incomplete building was “a blight on the community.” In July, the Board of Standards and Appeals decided in favor of the building’s owner, noting CB3’s support and the owner’s willingness to alter his plans in its five-page ruling.
New documents filed with the Department of Buildings show that approvals for resuming work were issued Sept. 16. A construction dumpster has appeared in front of the building, and workers were on site as of last week.
An 80 foot tall building is NOT 6 stories. They are cheating yet again!! And they only got approval because they promised much of the building would be used for community purposes. Ha Ha- now it’s just a condo building. Yet another junky Chinatown project with ugly architecture to boot!
I can’t imagine what all the development fuss is about? This is going to be a modern structure by the reknown Chinese architect Raymond Chan who has designed numerous structures in the Chinatown/Village area! Gentrification within a neighborhood by the locals should be welcomed.