Delays at the DOB, developers complain

From the March issue: It was four years ago this month that seven people were killed in a crane collapse on East 51st Street. Since then, the New York City Department of Buildings — under fire for lax oversight of building plans — has taken steps to improve its safety procedures.

But some real estate professionals say the pendulum may have swung too far in the other direction; the agency is now taking so much time to scrutinize plans and permit applications, they say, that it’s leading to project delays — forcing developers to push back their timelines for commercial and residential projects citywide. [more]