Plague of Lotus?
November 27, 2006
The Lotus - 610 Union Avenue: The Lights Are on, But No One’s Home
This gem of internationalist design (think Brasilia) seemed to rocket through construction, appearing in what seemed like a matter of weeks. Before I realized, The Lotus on McCarren Park in Greenpoint was seemingly finished, replete with “Orientalist” detailed railings, a banner, and a shiny almost day-glo green exterior. Any minute, I expected a horde or swinging bachelors, baseball players, or other cash-rich people who wanted to pick up a one-bedroom (19 units, all one-bedrooms) for about $819psf. Instead, it has sat empty, with staged furniture peeking out of vacant apartments, a sagging for-sale banner, and occasional vandalism. How does this happen to a building that seemingly sailed through construction, and 16 of 19 units have either sold are in contract?
Project Backgroud: The Lotus is built on a former junkyard (welcome to Greenpoint baby!) and the site was considered a HAZMAT which is not atypical in areas once used for manufacturing. It looks like the planning started for the building in 2003, with permits being issued 2004.
DOB: The Department of Buildings shows that The Louts has hit a few bumps during construction, including work without a permit in 2004, a collapsing construction fence (2005) and failure to provide plans on the building site (2006). All of these problems were remedied to the satisfaction of DOB, some resulted in fines. In 2004 the project got stung with working during illegal hours (weekends), and a stop work order was issued in 2005 after complaints of “excessive debris” and lack of safety netting.
Currently the project does not have a Certificate of Occupancy that would allow residents. The only Certificate of Occupancy I could find is from 1954, allowing “salvage, storage and resale of scrap iron and steel.” So, if you bought and closed on an apartment in this building, tied up 3/4 of a million dollars in an apartment you can’t move into, maybe at least you could store scrap metal inside?
Any word on when people might be able to move in, or why a seemingly complete building is still empty/can’t get the Certificate of Occupancy?
[The broken window theory - small damage while the building sits vacant]
November 27, 2006 at 4:43 pm
how do you feel about the architecture of this? I’m not one to be scared of modernist architecture (my hometown is made of almost entirely well-designed modernist townhouses), but there is something really visually unsettling about the design. sadly, it is the best-looking of all the buildings on that block.
November 27, 2006 at 4:56 pm
I too find this building unsettling, especially because it is empty. I think it is a little “forced” in its attempts to seem modern.
November 27, 2006 at 5:01 pm
The design of the building seems to be the least of its worries. If 16 units are sold or in contract (and that’s a big ‘if’
then why no C of O? Something is up here. The other buildings are in varying stages of construction, but the Lotus seems ready to go, no? Perhaps in their hurry to construct and beat the market, they forgot to address some DOB requirements? Keep us posted, Steve.
November 27, 2006 at 5:19 pm
I have also wondered why this building was so empty. thanks for the detective work.
My guess: they sold it assuming the C of O would be handed over with no contest. This is how developers and landlords roll in these zip codes.
However, what they used to squeeze by before, the city is now paying attention to. There are buildings at the Morgan L stop meant for residential that are now renting as commercial spaces with full luxury kitchen and bath because the zoning variance wasn’t going to be overlooked or eked by.
Why would anyone buy in a building for which CofO had not been granted? I wouldn’t let people RENT in a building for which C of O had not been granted.
November 28, 2006 at 4:27 pm
6 units have already closed, and perhaps people are already living there.
November 28, 2006 at 8:15 pm
Thanks for posting on this- for those of us in the area, it is def. a strange situation. Why? (1) There certainly is no one living in the builiding (2) It has been largely “finished” for over 6 months. (3) As far as I can tell there is not a lot of selling of the remaining units going on.
Other Scarano buildings (i.e. The Casa) have had trouble getting the CofO once complete. And the Lotus has the “questionable” extra loft space, which maybe why the building is being held up.
November 28, 2006 at 9:18 pm
You surely are not Shelock Holmes Cityseen. Not sure where your getting your info from but I have a copy of the CO on my desk. Additionally I believe 8 units will be closed by the end of business today. This is your second misposting in about a week. If you would like to be considered a “legitamet blog” I strongly suggest getting your postings correct. Right now all you are posting is incorrect slander.
November 28, 2006 at 11:58 pm
And if you would like to be considered a “legitamet attorney” I would suggest learning to spell.
clearly, you’re the broker for the building, worried about rep.
November 29, 2006 at 12:47 am
Doesn’t matter who I am really. I do have the CO and am correct with the number of units that have closed. Why don’t you walk by the building, maybe some more lights will be on tonight.
Blogs are intended for people to post their personal feelings and comments. For every person who hates this building there is another who likes it (at least 16 people in the world liked it). Spreading incorrect rumors will only make Cityseen illegitimate (did I spell it right this time)in the eyes of the public and is really not fair to the people who bought in the building to label a property incorrectly.
November 29, 2006 at 2:05 am
I looked up the Building Department website, and it is showing that final C/O for the job was issued on 10/28/06, just that no PDF image is available for viewing yet. People are probably moving in as we speak.
November 29, 2006 at 4:18 am
[...] We did see several people leaving the Lotus on Sunday, so maybe there’s hope. · 610 Union Avenue: The Lights Are On, But No One’s Home [City Seen] · Friendly Neighbors Greet Potential Buyers in Williamsburg [Curbed] · Bayard Street Update #1: Karl Fischer Row [Curbed] [...]
November 29, 2006 at 1:08 pm
these apts also have “balconies” or “mezzanines” or maybe “psuedo-duplexes”
noone posting here has really been in the apts?
the upper level of your fake duplex is like 5′9″
im 6′0″ barefoot!
i left hairgel streaks on the ceiling!
November 29, 2006 at 4:01 pm
Why are you blogging misinformation? I closed on this building last week and indeed there is a Certificate of ocupancy. Next time do some more research before you come out of your face. And please get a life. Maybe if you spent more time working and less time jerking off online, you too would have the money to live in a luxury building.
November 29, 2006 at 5:36 pm
this building was finished absolutely ages ago, we all know its been sitting around empty for over a year. Most people were too sensible to pay the price for something that looks like a 1970s dutch housing project.
November 29, 2006 at 6:04 pm
Loser 5:36- I saw this building back in September, and it wasn’t finished then. It still needed work on a number of units & elevators. Not sure why you think this building has been sitting finished for over a year.
November 29, 2006 at 7:16 pm
I am a LOTUS buyer. While freedom of speech is not a crime and personal preference and opinions vary, what is completely irresponsible, especially on the part of the blog’s author, is the LACK OF SIMPLE FACT CHECKING… As a soon-to-be resident (I am closing today, by the way) I am amazed at how much ignorance is written on this particular blog.
THIS BUILDING DOES HAVE A C OF O. I will personally email you a copy of the C of O, so that you can post it on your site.
Author, there’s no “Plague” at Lotus. The only plague is the spread of ignorance on your credibility-lacking site. Perhaps the real estate realm is not your forte. Maybe celebrity gossip would be a better fit for you.
Good Work.
Why not make all things peachy by POSTING THE TRUTH now.
November 29, 2006 at 7:19 pm
the query was, why has it been empty so long. Why? Can’t anyone answer that? It was finished and empty before the rest of karl fischer row was even started.
November 29, 2006 at 7:54 pm
LOSER:
The author did not solely pose a question. He clearly stated:
“Currently the project does not have a Certificate of Occupancy that would allow residents.”
THAT IS AN INCORRECT STATEMENT. And that is what I take issue with. A simple fact-check would tell you that the building does have a C of O. To start a rant about a building and not have the right facts to back it up is irresponsible.
And to answer the query of why it has been sitting vacant, IT HAS NOT. Go by and take a look yourself, you should see some lights on 2night.
November 29, 2006 at 8:24 pm
Loser- The answer to why is up for speculation. I can’t comment on what was going on before the summer. I was saying above that although from the street the Lotus looked as if it were completed for months, after seeing the interiors in Sept it looked as if there was still some minor work that needed to be completed before the developer could apply for a CO. The city can also take a while to issue a Certificate. Even then I believe you have to give buyers notice before a close date can be set to conduct inspections, etc.
November 29, 2006 at 8:27 pm
Ok I see. It has appeared finished for at least a year, but as you say, the inside must have still been needing the final touches.
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