Columbus Village Gets Permit Revocation Order

NEW YORK CITY-Only days before a scheduled court hearing on the matter, the Department of Buildings has issued a revocation order for the permits for 808 Columbus Ave., part of the massive “Columbus Village” development on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. The action by DOB could halt construction of the development, which is considered the most extensive in any residential neighborhood in Manhattan, located between 99th and 100th streets here.

The action comes three weeks after a neighborhood resident filed a lawsuit against DOB and the developers, claiming “numerous zoning violations” and demanding an environmental review of the project. The lawsuit came months after the DOB failed to respond to an appeal letter by Manhattan Borough president Scott Stringer, requesting that the agency issue a final determination on the legality of the project.

The complaint, styled Bunten v. DOB et al, requests that the Court compel the DOB to perform its administrative duty to enforce New York City zoning provisions, so that the citizens of the community can participate in a public review process to protect the character of their community and their environmental rights. The suit asks for an injunction to stop construction, pending review of the zoning violations and all environmental issues.