Whoops! Development Site Forgot The Garage


by on Jun 9th, 2011

Photo taken May 24, 2011

Man, don’t you just hate it when a developers try to sell their residential units based on amenities that don’t exist?

That’s why every time I passed by 1702 Avenue Z (on the corner of East 17th Street) for the past year or so, my eyebrows raised. Dreamlife Realty, a mysterious broker that took over after bigger names abandoned the project, posted a sign in one of the upper windows advertising “Indoor Parking.”

To which I asked, “Where?!”

There simply was no garage to be found, and newly-planted trees lined the sidewalks, barring any potential auto entrance. Then wooden planks went up over a ground-level section on Avenue Z, and I had an aching suspicion that the first floor’s commercial square-footage was about to shrink and some baby trees were going to die.

And I was right. Two weeks ago, construction crews were seen tearing out the trees and curb, and building curb cuts. One of the construction workers explained to us that the developer was having trouble selling units without parking (duh!), and so they were putting in a garage. He said the garage was already built and the curb cuts were the last step (the curb cuts are now complete, and the wooden planks remain). Cars will enter the building and pack into the ground-level space.

The worker also said there will only be seven parking spots, despite the fact the building has 10 residential units and three floors of commercial space. But, hey, in Southern Brooklyn real estate terms – that’s more than enough, right?!

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  • Georgia

    I smell something bad here, & this does not sound right.  The rooms are like closets and the price is not normal.  Vacant way to long reminder it took almost 2 years to build.  Also 10 parking spaces this is so much bunk.  Like I said the roses are not smelling right there is a bad rat in here. 

    • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

      Dreamlife had always been involved with the project, under various other corporate names. They even were connected with the construction company.

  • Goodnieghbor

    not to mention the parking space is enough for a ford fous at best.

  • Goodnieghbor

    not to mention the parking space is enough for a ford fous at best.

  • Anonymous

    I bet who ever already bought apartment will be those unfortunate 3 who will not get a spot.

  • Anonymous

    Are those curb cuts legal? You just can’t take away public parking spots.

    • Anonymous

      Good point. I would like to hear an answer to this question as well.

      • http://www.njluxurymotors.com Arthur Borko

        That area is a bus stop, no legal parking down the entire block.

        • Georgia

          Yes your right that is a bus stop now they moved it a while ago.    You can’t park at all on Z then there is the back of the post office

          • Al Knowles

            I’ve seen people ticketed while they parked between the post office’s back door and the E.17th St. corner.   Wonder how many of them tried to fight, and wonder  how many of those had their ticket thrown out.  

          • guest

             I got a ticket, and still in the process of fighting it. It makes no sense that you can’t park on almost that hole block. I took pictures and sent it in, lets see what they say.

        • Anonymous

          That started when there was  a towing outfit where the nondo is at now. Guess they were connected. The no parking sign went up and their trucks parked there. Helps to have friends in high places.

      • Plumgoofy57

        46′ curb cut, 50′ from e 17, from Buildings Dept paperwork…”PROPOSED 45’11″ CURB CUT IN CONJUNCTION WITH NB APPLICATION #302285293. NO CHANGE IN USE, EGRESS OR OCCUPANCY.”
        That was the first thing I checked.

        • Noyb

          I can’t believe that people have so much time on their hands that they go around our neighborhoods measuring other peoples curb cuts.  These are the same people going around placing complaints on 311.  Way to keep the DOB busy.  I wasn’t really sure where to put my money.  And we wonder why our trillions of stimulus dollars disappear on armies of bureaucratic hordes and $5k toiler bowls! 
           
          Try building something! You seem to have a knack for a tape measure!

  • Anonymous

    And what happens to the trees? All new development has to plant a certain number of trees. Do they meet the requirements?

    • BrooklynBus

      You always see trees in the brochures of every type of development. (e.g.) the new condos on Voorhies) but when the development is complete, the trees are always missing.  Guess no one ever checks, unless the City is responsible for the trees.

  • Anonymous

    A few weeks or so ago, there was a sign advertising commerical or professional “suits.” My wife said I could probably use a few of those. Has anything been sold there?

  • Guest

    None of you know what you’re talking about. I live in the building and opted out of buying a spot because parking is fine in this area and cheap permits are available for parking in the lot. Also, those spots you speak of are not legal. The cars that would park there always got ticketed for the bus stop with an arrow pointing down the block, so legal parking is not being lost. Also, there was no need to lower the curb until now because other residents didn’t want the parking either. If new tenants want it then it requires getting ready, it’s quite simple. Take care of priorities first.

    • http://www.njluxurymotors.com Arthur Borko

      How can you opt out of buying a parking spot that doesn’t exist?

      Actually, I always suspected that the parking they were advertising would have been in the public lot across the street. I figured maybe they made a deal with the city to offer reduced price permits. I guess not.

      • Guest

        They do exist. You had the option of purchasing one. I suppose they did not put the cuts outside because none of the other tenants here purchased one either. No deal was made with the city, but anyone could buy one. It’s actually pretty smart of the developer to use more space for living than parking as they could have ended up with additional parking spots nobody wanted. Go look at other developments that are going nowhere because the money is simply not there. This building is almost filled to capacity on the residential floors. I have no idea when the commercial floors will be occupied and could care less. The longer the better. More free parking available. 

  • Peter

    For this area, current city planning parking codes dictate that parking requirements are waived if 5 or less parking spaces are needed (based on the 0.5 parking spaces per unit requirement). That would also explain why the development is a 10 unit building. They didn’t want to provide the parking in the first place, and knew how to work the system to get away with it.

    • Guest

      All of you guys are idiots. U want the developer to make sure the plumbing doesn’t leak and the walls don’t fall down on you, and insulation is good enough, and elevator is good, handicap accessible? Or u want them to count trees? I used to do development, and I’d take any loophole i could get. And you would too. So get a hobby please

      • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

        Maybe our hobby is blowing the whistle on crap like this.

      • Local Broker

        U do realize the letter U is not the same as the word YOU but U need all the loopholes U can Yous.

      • Anonymous

        The key to your statement – I USED to do development. With your attitude I understand why you weren’t successful. 

  • Anonymous

    *facepalm

  • Guest

    what an ugly waste of land

  • The Great Arturo Bandini

    The ‘sleek modern design’ looks even more beautiful with all the telephone and electrical lines running across it. How was a building like that allowed go forward without first placing the utilities underground? Completely tasteless, no wonder they’r have so much trouble selling…  

  • pisa tower..NOT!

    For a fine example of craftsmanship that went into that building, step aside and look at the top column on the corner of ave Z.  If it reminds you of the Pisa tower – you’re on to something – it is, in fact, slanted.  Wonder if that was part of the original design…. :))

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