By Bruno Caligara One of the most common questions many residential homeowners have relates to the space below their first floor. Is this space a basement? Is it a cellar? More importantly, what can it be used for? The easiest way to determine the legal use of your space is to… View more

By Austin Regan There was a time when the hardest part of the DOB process was getting an approval. Times have changed – now the most difficult stage of the job is obtaining a permit. Most new buildings that we file today are usually submitted two to three months later than… View more

By Brian Redlein The price of air in New York City is becoming more expensive as trading of air rights is more prevalent than it’s ever been before. Air rights are unused or excess development rights measured by square footage and transferable when zoning permits it from one buildable lot to… View more

By Brian Redlein Prior to the arrival of the 2008 Building Code, vertically enlarging a single-family townhome or detached residence was relatively straightforward. The architect was allowed to provide one means of egress from each floor, which usually took the form of the grand, open staircase that is typical of NYC townhomes. … View more

By Andrew J. Pisani Time flies when you’re having fun. Just like that, 5 years have passed since you filed your Local Law 11 Façade report. Local Law 11 Façade Cycle 8 filing is upon us, and there are new details to understand.  After the issues with Cycle 6, the DOB has… View more