Dept. of Buildings Response to Scarano Controversy
We got an email from the press office at the Department of Buildings responding to the controversy about the "stipulations" signed by Buildings Commissioner Patricia Lancaster concerning architect Robert Scarano. A Daily News article on Sunday detailed agreements the Building Commissioner signed as part of the arrangement that led to Mr. Scarano's giving up of the right to "self-certify" his building plans last year. Among them was an agreement not to report any of Mr. Scarano's alleged misdeeds to state regulators. We present the DOB response in full, at it makes a number of points about the issue:The Daily News neglected crucial facts in its story on architect Robert Scarano's removal from the Buildings Department's Professional Certification Program. The article failed to include critical information, such as:One has the feeling that this particular isn't quite finished running its course.
1. The State was already aware of Mr. Scarano’s misdeeds at the time of the stipulation;
2. The stipulation had no practical impact whatsoever on the State's ability or interest to discipline Mr. Scarano;
3. The stipulation was used to expeditiously remove Mr. Scarano from the Professional Certification Program; and
4. A stipulation is akin to a plea bargain – it’s gets a professional out of the system immediately.
[Left photo courtesy of nyc.gov, Right photo courtesy of The Real Deal]
Labels: Architecture, Construction Issues
posted by rsguskind at 8:20 AM
4 Comments:
It still sounds fishy. And why, exactly, should an offender like Scarano merit a plea bargain rather than outright prosecution?
> It still sounds fishy. And
> why, exactly, should an
> offender like Scarano merit
> a plea bargain rather than
> outright prosecution?
I think part of the problem is that, until recently, the *only* penalty the City could impose was revocation of self-certification privileges.
Although the building and zoning codes allegedly violated were city codes, licensing of architects and engineers is handled at the state level, by the Office of the Professions (part of the state Education Department).
The City cannot revoke an architect's license, they can only ask the State to investigate any alleged misdeads.
(As of this year though, a new state law allows the City to refuse to accept any jobs submitted by architects or engineers who have abused self-certification, & other misconduct).
If it looks like a fish, acts like a fish, and stinks like a fish it is a fish, then duh....
I agree whole heartedly with Action Jackson.
What the DOB did was not done to expedite his anything but the cover up of the Dobbed complicity in ALL the illegal actions involving Scarano and all the people involved with him. That includes Henry Radusky, who's plans Scarrano signed off on.
Lancaster and the rest were only covering their own butts. Just like they have done with Radusky and the others who have been allowed by DOB to violate the "administrative code" on a daily basis.
They should all (DOB, Scarrano, Radusky, Katan, Boymelgreen, Mendlshit and the rest) be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
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