In a recent development regarding the controversial Sheephead Bay project, the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) issued a “partial stop work order” on the construction site on the same day when the hearing schedule for the two BSA cases raised by residents was announced on the 17th. Our investigation revealed that the community complainants had engaged in a six-week back-and-forth with the DOB prior to the stop work order.
The incident dates back to a 311 complaint on May 7th. The complainant pointed out that the site plan submitted by the architect in February 2024 and approved in April indicated the project as a “supportive housing community facility.” He questioned how the project, initially approved as permanent affordable housing, ended up as transitional housing operated in collaboration with the city’s Department of Homeless Services and Westhab, deviating from the original planning and zoning use.
On May 8th, the case was transferred to the DOB’s Safety Enforcement division and closed on May 13th with a “no violation found” decision. On the same day, the complainant filed another complaint, which was promptly administratively closed. A similar complaint on May 18th met the same fate of immediate closure.
Subsequently, the complainant continued to raise concerns, alleging that the DOB “closed the case without addressing the issues properly.” He demanded a direct response from the DOB on the core dispute, threatening to “keep filing complaints until the problem is resolved.” On June 2nd, an inspector noted in the closing remarks that they had not received a formal enforcement request and directed the complainant to submit it through the DOB NOW public portal. The complainant objected, insisting that illegal construction complaints should go through 311, not DOB NOW. The tug-of-war between the two parties continued.
However, a turning point occurred in the case yesterday, June 18th. An inspector made a different determination under the same complaint and issued a partial stop work order directly.
According to the DOB records, on the 17th, the inspector found the construction site was installing braces and beams without approved excavation drawings (SOE) including the relevant structures. The situation was deemed to pose “a safety hazard to workers, the public, and property.” Therefore, a partial stop work order was issued, mandating an immediate halt to all operations on the site, with only rectification of approved drawings allowed during the work suspension period. It is worth noting that the reason for the stop work order seems completely unrelated to the land use and zoning issues that have been the focus of concern for the complainant in recent months.
Simultaneously, two appeal cases brought by residents to the Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) have been confirmed to have a public hearing scheduled for August 10th, with the DOB also set to attend the hearing, which will not be postponed. The possible connection between the stop work order and the hearing schedule remains unclear at this time.
Following the news, many residents in the Sheephead Bay community expressed encouragement within the community’s WeChat group, viewing both the stop work order and the BSA hearing schedule as positive developments. Community members highlighted the significance of the hearing on August 10th, as it will formally address disputes including land division, demolition permits, stormwater engineering, and provide a new pathway for the community to challenge administrative decisions and oversee large-scale developments through the BSA.