Buildings Commissioner Signed Interesting Scarano Agreements

Buildings Commissioner Patricia Lancaster signed off on some interesting stipulations as part of Brooklyn architect Robert Scarano's agreement to surrender self-certification privileges last year, according to a story in today's Daily News. Architects in New York City are able to "self-certify" that their work meets city zoning and building regulations. Controversies arose over Mr. Scarano's abuse of the program and he ultimately gave up the privilege without admitting wrongdoing. The Daily News has the fascinating news that Buildings Commissioner Patricia Lancaster also agreed not to report any alleged misdeeds by the architect to "any regulatory agency." Here's some of the Daily News story:

The top official responsible for enforcing building standards in the city signed secrecy agreements to hide a series of blunders that led to death and building evacuations.

Patricia Lancaster, the $162,800-a-year buildings commissioner, hid the mistakes made by architect Robert Scarano.

Lancaster - also an architect - signed an unusual stipulation promising not to report the alleged misdeeds of Scarano to "any regulatory agency," including one that could revoke his license.

The charges involve 32 properties, mostly in Brooklyn, and include alleged carelessness that resulted in the death of a construction worker and a screwup that forced a Brooklyn family to evacuate its unsafe home.

Lancaster hid a charge that Scarano signed off on unsafe conditions at a Brooklyn site where construction worker Anthony Duncan Sr. was crushed to death in a March 2006 building collapse...

There is far more detail in the full story.