Another Anti-Scarano Rally Today

Last week, we reported on the rally/media event against architect Robert Scarano that City Council Member Bill de Blasio was organizing for today. At the time, Mr. de Blasio's office was considering having it at the Department of Education's office, as he is asking for the architect to lose his professional certification. Well, a change in tactics has taken place and the rally will now be held in front of the Department of Buildings because Mr. de Blasio is also asking that DOB put a halt to all of the architect's project while a Department of Education investigation is underway. The most recent trouble started with an adverse reaction to the architect's work on a building at 360 Smith Street and morphed into an overall denunciation of Mr. Scarano by the City Council Member. One can draw one's own conclusions about the motivations. We certainly have ours. In any case, the release from Mr. de Blasio's office says in part:

Councilmember Bill de Blasio will join local elected officials and community activists to demand that the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) stop work on all Robert Scarano projects while he is under investigation for professional misconduct. Scarano, an architect with a long history of violating zoning codes, building codes, and practicing unsafe construction, is currently under investigation by the State Education Department.

Just recently the DOB approved plans for 360 Smith Street, where Scarano is the architect. Last month, Councilmember de Blasio joined community activists demanding that Scarano's license be revoked. De Blasio is still calling on the State Department of Education to strip Scarano's architecture license because of his unscrupulous building practices and repeated violations of the building code. In 2006, the City's buildings department charged Scarano with violating zoning or building codes on 25 projects in several Brooklyn neighborhoods.

One Carroll Gardens resident wrote us to say there is significant skepticism in the neighborhood:

It is no doubt a great little photo op for Mr. de Blasio, but several CG residents have told me they do not trust him at ALL! Does he or doesn't he care about our concerns at 360 Smith Street? Is he willing to help us with more than lip service? This remains to be seen...

The rally/media event is scheduled for 11AM at the Department of Buildings, which is at 210 Joralemon Street.