Recent Permits for Multifamily Residential Construction in New York

Charles J. Diven Jr.

In preparation for his career, Charles J. Diven Jr. earned his bachelor’s degree in business and engineering sciences from Fordham University, and he earned his law degree from the Pace University School of Law. Now a businessman focused on the New York real estate market, Charles J Diven Jr. works on multifamily residential development projects in the Bronx and other parts of New York.

In New York City, new residential construction projects demonstrate that the multifamily real estate marketplace is still very much alive. In May 2018, the city issued more apartment construction permits than it had issued in any month for the past three years. In Brooklyn alone, nearly 55 apartment construction permits were given by the Department of Buildings.

In the Bronx, developers secured permits for seven new projects that will hold over 300 units. Manhattan permits covered three multifamily residential projects with more than 100 units.

Two Types of Zoning Variances

Zoning
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For more than two decades, Charles J. Diven Jr. has been working in the real estate industry. The principal of Divlong in New Jersey, Mr. Diven has extensive experience in building everything from commercial buildings to single-family homes. In his work, Charles J. Diven Jr. has become very familiar with zoning variances.

Giving property owners the ability to bypass local zoning laws that may restrict the ways they want to use their land, zoning variances do not change the zoning law but are waivers granted when property owners can prove that current regulations are preventing the practical use of their property.

Two basic types of zoning variances that owners may request are use variances and area variances. With a use variance, owners can use land in a way that is not allowed by current zoning regulations. For example, a use variance allows a business to operate within a residential area.

An area variance, also known as a non-use variance, relates to the physical requirements of a zoning ordinance. This allows property owners to bypass the physical requirements of their lot. For example, an area variance allows property owners to build a second story to their house or construct an add-on that would push a building past the square footage limits for the zone.

The New York State DEC Speaks Out to Prevent Trail Creep

Environmental Conservation
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An experienced real estate developer, Charles J. Diven, Jr., has served as the principal of Divlong since 2017. Charles J. Diven, Jr., earned university degrees in engineering, business, and the law and, for his real estate projects, also obtained certification in erosion control from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for excavations greater than 5,000 square feet.

In addition to issuing a wide range of certifications, permits, and licenses, the DEC engages in a number of initiatives to help protect and enhance the environment. The organization spearheads major governmental advocacy efforts but also communicates directly with the general public through various community outreach channels.

The DEC recently addressed the public about trail creep and the department’s efforts to prevent it. Otherwise known as tread creep and trail widening, trail creep occurs when a nature trail begins to erode away the vegetation and landscape that surround it. This phenomenon is particularly damaging because it destroys areas that produce food and shelter for wildlife.

In order to prevent trail creep, the DEC encourages hikers to remain in the middle of the trail even when it is covered by mud, water, ice, or snow. During times of heavy precipitation and snow melt, hikers should also restrict themselves to lower-elevation trails that are typically drier and less susceptible to damage.

New York State One Step Closer to Plastic Bag Ban

 

New York
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Charles J. Diven Jr., principal of Divlong real estate company, has extensive experience in executing building development projects with environmentally conscious considerations. In his capacity as onsite project manager for a Westchester County sports complex, Charles J. Diven Jr. secured a wetland building permit by ensuring that all regulations set forth by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation were complied with during construction.

In March of 2017, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos, along with several other New York State officials, formed a task force focusing on the environmental issues caused by single-use plastic bags. Plastic bags, which do not easily degrade and are costly to recycle, cause a myriad of problems for wildlife habitats and local communities.

The task force released a report in December 2017 that stated bag fees and bans were effective in lowering overall plastic bag consumption. Recently, New York State’s sitting governor, Andrew Cuomo, introduced a bill that would ban most single-use plastic bags statewide. The bill was brought before the Senate Rules Committee in April, and if passed it would go into effect in 2019.