llegal East Village Vertical Addition Finally Dismantled
 
As reported on the blog EV Grieve, an illegal addition to 515 East 5th Street (Avenues A/B) in the East Village, which GVSHP and many others in the neighborhood have fought for years, has finally been dismantled. This addition was constructed in violation of the contextual rezoning which GVSHP and others fought very hard to secure for the East Village in 2008, and marred the uniform rooflines of a street of mid-19th century pre-law tenements. Residents of the building, who fought to have the extension dismantled, also complained that the construction was used to make life in the building unbearable for them, and to try to force them from their homes.
The addition was only removed after multiple hearings and decisions by the Board of Standards and Appeals, at which GVSHP consistently testified, which the owner of the building ignored for years.
While the outcome shows that perseverance pays off and that we can succeed in fights to preserve our neighborhood, it also shows how heavily weighted the system is to allow developers to skirt the rules and get away with it for years.
Our congratulations go to the residents of the building, City Councilmember Rosie Mendez, Community Board #3, and everyone else who fight this battle for many, many years.
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