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Construction Projects Stalled
By Heather Haddon

By HEATHER HADDON

Two local construction projects have stopped mid-development due to permit problems, violations and inadequate financing. Demolition of the former Grace Lutheran School, located at 2950 Grand Concourse, ceased two months ago, and a construction site at 301 E. Gun Hill Rd. has remained idle for weeks now.

The projects have separate developers, but Attivel Management, a construction company, has worked on both of them. John Morales, president of the Westchester Avenue firm, said demolition of the Grand Concourse site should resume this week.

Attivel’s demolition permit expired at the end of March, and they did not immediately reapply. Earlier in March, they were issued four violations by the Department of Buildings (DOB) for failure to erect adequate pedestrian safeguards and signs, and to notify the city about the demolition.

The city inspected the site after receiving a complaint that “debris was flying about and hitting pedestrians,” according to DOB records.

Attivel was mandated to stop work until they fixed the violations on the site, located at the corner of Bedford Park Boulevard, and obtained the necessary permits. Since then, the brick building has sat with part of its roof missing, the windows open, and debris piled up inside and out. Firefighters visited the property last month to check for signs of building instability, like holes in the floors or missing stairwells, that could jeopardize them if there was a fire. Marks painted by the Fire Department on the structure denote “hazardous conditions,” a Fire Department spokesperson said.

Morales acknowledged that Attivel hit some snags in the demolition. The company has done construction for four years, but this is their first demolition project. “We weren’t aware of some of these issues,” he said.

Jennifer Givner, a DOB spokesperson, said the rules are quite clear. “The requirements are spelled out right in the building code,” she said.

Morales said he fixed the problems, and was getting a renewed work permit this week. Yoel Movtady, the project’s developer, also thought the permit was pending, but Givner wasn’t yet aware of it.

Movtady intends to construct a 10-story, middle-income apartment building with some professional space. This is his first development project, and Movtady said he will need more capital before going ahead with construction.

“When we finish the demolition, then will we start to do more financing,” said Movtady, who works for a Long Island mortgage company. Several banks have expressed an interest, according to Movtady.

Cash also seems to be an issue with the other stalled project, located on the corner of East Gun Hill Road and Perry Avenue. Attivel started excavating the site, but stopped work after the developer, Perry Avenue Realty, ran out of funds.

“He’s looking for better prices,” said Morales about Victor Luciano, Perry’s president. Luciano didn’t return calls for comment.

The project has had other problems. Earlier this year, DOB issued four violations for construction problems, like missing plans and permits. The developer did not rectify the problems in time, and has accrued fines. Attivel was also issued violations for demolition problems similar to those incurred at the Grand Concourse site.

Additionally, DOB rejected Luciano’s plans for the development last week. “It happens, but it means there are some serious issues we couldn’t proceed with,” Givner said.

Luciano intends to build a nine-story mixed use building on the site. For now, the only sign of those plans are a large pit and the beginnings of a foundation.

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