By Ayala Ben-Yehuda
The Department of Buildings has rejected Flushing developer Thomas Huang’s plans to build four houses on a Bayside lot, a Buildings spokeswoman said last week.
Huang purchased the property at 39-39 223rd St. in August 2002 and demolished a one-family home that stood there late last winter.
Although he said in December 2002 that he intended to build five houses on the lot, the property still contains a pile of dirt surrounded by a wooden fence.
But plans for four houses on the lot appeared to be in the works, with the subdividing in November of the single large lot into four separate ones, said Buildings Department spokeswoman Ilyse Fink.
“This still seems to be in the very early stages of development,” she said.
Huang could not be reached for comment.
Plans were submitted to the Buildings Department Dec. 3 for a two-story, 4,093-square-foot building with a cellar, said Fink. The plan was the “lead job” in a cluster of four buildings, meaning one set of plans was submitted to represent the design of all four structures, said Fink.
“The plans are disapproved,” said Fink, who did not know the exact reason for the rejection but said it was “zoning-related.”
The subdivision itself was legal, she said.
Preliminary paperwork was also submitted for pavement work on the property, but Fink did not know whether it was for building an access road into the lot.
In addition to 39-39 223rd St., three new addresses were listed for the subdivided lots on Buildings Department records: 223-09, 223-15 and 223-19 Mia Drive.
The status of the lot has angered neighbors who fear what may be built on it but also are dismayed by its current state.
The city Department of Health inspected the lot for rodent activity and performed an extermination over the summer. Huang received a violation for harboring rodents and another in August for standing water.
Still another violation was issued Dec. 8 for failure to maintain a construction fence.
In 1999, Huang was convicted of a felony count of ignoring asbestos contamination and spilling hundreds of gallons of fuel oil in the basement of the RKO Keith’s movie theater in Flushing. He received a sentence of five years’ probation and a $5,000 fine.
Community members led by Councilman David Weprin (D-Hollis) protested Huang’s plans to develop the historic Klein Farm in Fresh Meadows and he abandoned his efforts on that project last year.
Reach reporter Ayala Ben-Yehuda by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 146.
