Bayou v 355 W. 20th St. Corp. 2025 NY Slip Op 32795(U) August 14, 2025 Supreme Court, New York County Docket Number: Index No. 152395/2025 Judge: Emily Morales-Minerva Cases posted with a "30000" identifier, i.e., 2013 NY Slip Op 30001(U), are republished from various New York State and local government sources, including the New York State Unified Court System's eCourts Service. This opinion is uncorrected and not selected for official publication. INDEX NO. 152395/2025 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 42 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 08/15/2025
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK NEW YORK COUNTY PRESENT: HON. EMILY MORALES•MINERVA PART 42M Justice ---------~----------X INDEX NO. 152395/2025 BRADLEY BAYOU, MARK ITKIN MOTION DATE N/A Petitioner, MOTION SEQ. NO. 001 - V -
355 WEST 20TH STREET CORPORATION, DECISION + ORDER ON MOTION Respondent.
--------------------X The following e-filed documents, listed by NYSCEF document number (Motion 001) 22, 24, 28, 29, 30, 31,32,33,34,35, 36,37,38, 39,40,41 were read on this motion to/for MISCELLANEOUS
APPEARANCES:
Quinn McCabe, LLP, New York, NY {Sara Leston, Esq., of counsel), for petitioners.
Port & Sava, Lynbrook, NY {George Samuel Sava, Esq., of counsel), for respondent.
EMILY MORALES-MINERVA, J.S.C.
In this action, petitioners BRADLEY BAYOU and MARK ITKIN
move, by petition and order to show cause {mot. seq. no. 001),
pursuant to RPAPL § 881, for orders granting it (1) a license to
enter upon and access the property of respondent 355 WEST 20TH
STREET CORPORATION to conduct a pre-construction survey; (2)
access to implement and maintain a controlled access zone in the
front areaway, rear yard, and roof of respondent's property; (3)
access to the airspace of respondent's property to install,
maintain, and remove an engineered enclosure scaffold system;
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and (4) access to the roof of respondent's property to perform
work on the chimneys located thereon.
For the reasons set forth below, the application is
granted.
BACKGROUND
Petitioners BRADLEY BAYOU and MARK ITKIN (petitioners},
owners of property located at 353 West 20 th Street, New York, New
York, Block 744, Lot 10 (project premises}, are performing
certain renovations and construction of an extension on the
premises (project), which adjoin 355 West 20 th Street, New York,
New York, Block 744, Lot 9 {adjacent premises), owned by
respondent 355 WEST 20TH STREET CORPORATION (respondent) (see New
York State Court Electronic Filing System [NYSCEF] Doc. No. 001,
Petition) . Petitioners maintain that the project will take
approximately twelve months to complete (id.).
Prior to commencing the project, petitioners allege that it
is required, pursuant to Sections 3309.3 1 and 3309.17 2 of the New
1 New York City Building Code§ 3309.3 provides, ~When permission to enter upon
adjoining property has been obtained, a physical examination of such property shall be conducted by the person causing the construction or demolition operations prior to the commencement of the operations and at reasonable periods during the progress of the work. Observed conditions shall be recorded by the person causing the construction or demolition operations, and such records shall be made available to the department upon request." 2 New York City Building Code§ 3309.17 provides, as pertinent here, "The engineered enclosure system shall be positioned exterior of the building under construction or demolition and shall cover all areas along the exposure where work is occurring or openings in the building are present . . . A controlled access zone . . . shall be
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York City Building Code, to (1) perform a pre-construction
survey of the adjacent premises; (2) protect the front areaway
and roof of the adjacent premises while petitioners install,
maintain, and remove an engineered enclosure scaffold system in
the front of the project premises (front enclosure system);
(3) protect the roof of the adjacent premises while petitioners
install, maintain, and remove an engineered enclosure scaffold
system extending from the side of the premises into the airspace
above the adjacent premises (side enclosure system); and (4)
protect the rear yard of the adjacent premises while petitioners
install, maintain, and remove an engineered enclosure scaffold
system in the rear yard of the project premises (rear enclosure
system) see NYSCEF Doc. No. 21, Petitioners' Memorandum of Law
in Support of Order to Show Cause).
Petitioners maintain that the front, side, and rear
enclosure systems will protect the public and occupants of the
adjacent premises from falling debris (see id. Further, the
front and rear enclosure systems will be located entirely on the
project premises, and the side enclosure system will extend five
feet into the airspace of the adjacent premises (see id.) . 3
provided to protect the adjoining property whenever the engineered enclosure system is installed or removed, and when otherwise warranted during repairs, maintenance, or adjustments. Such controlled access zone or protection shall be indicated on the plans for the engineered enclosure system." 3 According to petitioners, the side enclosure system ~shall extend 5 feet into the
airspace of the adjacent premises and shall consist of pipe scaffolding with a 3/4" plywood sheathing secured to the interior of pipe scaffolding with 1/8" wood secured at 8" [on center] embedded into 2" x 6" continuous railing, heavy duty bracket 152395/2025 BAYOU, BRADLEY ET AL vs. 355 WEST 20TH STREET CORPORATION Page3of16 Motion No. 001
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Petitioners indicate that in order to protect the front
areaway, roof, and rear yard of the adjacent premises,
petitioners must (1) implement and maintain a controlled access
zone on the roof, including flat roof protection, 4 as well as on
the front areaway, for one week while petitioners install the
front enclosure system, and one week while petitioners remove
the front enclosure system; (2) implement and maintain a
controlled access zone on the roof, including flat roof
protection, for one week while petitioners install the side
enclosure system, and one week while petitioners remove the side
enclosure system; and (3) implement and maintain a controlled
access zone in the rear yard for one week while petitioners
install rear enclosure system, and one week while petitioners
remove the rear enclosure system (see id.). During the
installation and removal of the enclosure systems, petitioners
indicate that no access will be permitted to the front areaway,
roof, and rear yard (id.).
These protective measures were proposed by non-party Site
Safety LLC (Site Safety), who petitioners retained to draft a
site safety plan in accordance with the protective measures
required under the New York City Building Code see NYSCEF Doc.
[typical], OSHA Plank with a pipe scaffold and full netting enclosure" (NYSCEF Doc. No. 21, Petitioners' Memorandum of Law in Support, p 7). 4 Per petitioners, the extent of the roof protection "shall consist of flame-retardant plywood on top of 2" flame retardant 2"xl0" wood planks on top of 2" flame retardant styrofoam" (id.}.
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No. 18, Affidavit of Khalid Algende, Licensed Professional
Engineer with Site Safety LLC). Said site safety plan includes
drawings of the proposed protections to be installed on the
adjacent premises, as well as drawings of the proposed enclosure
systems see id.}. Non-party Khalid Algende, licensed
Professional Engineer with non-party Site Safety, LLC, affirms
that "the[se] methods of protecting the front areaway, roof, and
rear yard as set forth [in the site safety plan] are standard
and safe methods of complying with Section 3309.17 of the [New
York City Building] Code" (id.).
Petitioners allege that it has attempted to secure
respondent's consent to access the adjacent property to perform
the applicable work (see NYSCEF Doc. No. 21, Petitioners'
Memorandum of Law in Support}. In this regard, petitioners
allege that it (1) provided respondent with a proposed licensing
agreement; (2) revised the project plans to minimize the access
petitioners needed to the adjacent premises, including revising
the plans to avoid underpinning the adjacent premises and
foregoing the installation of monitoring equipment;
(3} provided respondent with the support of excavation and
foundation drawings, despite petitioners' contention that
neither set of drawings related to the access petitioners
required; (4} revised the plans a second time to utilize the
engineered enclosure scaffold system discussed herein, which
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would no longer require petitioners to install temporary
protections at the adjacent premises; (5) offered respondent a
pro-rated license fee of $4,000.00 per month while the
controlled access zones were in place; and {6) provided a
revised license agreement which incorporated the pro-rated
license fee and revisions to the project plan (id.).
However, petitioners allege that respondent refused to
accept the revised license agreement, demanding that petitioners
perform underpinning underneath the adjacent premises.
Thereafter, petitioners commenced this action against
respondent and now move, by order to show cause, pursuant to
RPAPL § 881, for orders granting it (1) a license to enter upon
and access the adjacent property to conduct a pre-construction
survey; (2) access to implement and maintain a controlled access
zone in the front areaway, rear yard, and roof of the adjacent
premises; (3) access to the airspace of the adjacent premises to
install, maintain, and remove an engineered enclosure scaffold
system extending from the side of the project premises into the
airspace above the adjacent premises; and {4) access to the roof
of the adjacent premises to perform work on the chimneys located
therein.
In support of its petition and order to show cause,
petitioners submit the following exhibits: (l} petitioners' deed
to the project premises (NYSCEF Doc. No. 02); {2) respondent's
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deed to the adjacent premises (NYSCEF Doc. No. 03); (3) lot map
of the project premises and adjacent premises (NYSCEF Doc. No.
04); (4) letter from petitioners to respondent, requesting
access, dated July 17, 2023 (NYSCEF Doc. No. 05); (5) e-mails
between petitioners and respondent, discussing, among other
things, the proposed license agreement (NYSCEF Doc. Nos. 06-17);
(6) affidavit of Khalid Algende, Licensed Professional Engineer
at Site Safety LLC (NYSCEF Doc. No. 18); (7) the Site Safety
Plan, dated September 12, 2024 (NYSCEF Doc. No. 19); and (8) the
Enclosure Drawings, dated February 04, 2025 (NYSCEF Doc. No.
20) .
Respondent appears and opposes the application, 5 arguing,
among other things, that (1) underpinning is required; (2)
petitioners breached two prior agreements with respondent; and
(3) petitioners have failed to make good faith efforts to
negotiate the license (see NYSCEF Doc. No. 30, Respondent's
Memorandum of Law in Opposition). In opposition, respondent
submits, among others, the following exhibits: (1) affirmation
of Ti-Hua Chang, President of respondent (NYSCEF Doc No. 31);
(2) affirmation and CV of John Nakrosis, Architect 6 (NYSCEF Doc.
Nos. 32 and 39); (3) Department of Building violations (NYSCEF
5 The court will accept respondent's untimely opposition papers, as petitioners do not demonstrate any prejudice (see Sanchez v Steele, 149 AD3d 458, 458 [1st Dept 2017]). 6 The affirmation of John Nakrosis does not address the safety measures proposed by petitioner, i.e. the engineered enclosure scaffold systems or the controlled access zones (see NYSCEF Doc. No. 32).
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Doc. No. 37); and (4) Geotechnical Investigation Report, dated
February 18, 2016 {NYSCEF Doc. No. 36).
The matter was returnable in Part 42M, 111 Centre Street,
New York, New York, on May 12, 2025, at 11:00 A.M. At the call
of the calendar, petitioners and respondents appeared, by
counsel.
ANALYSIS
Section 881 of the Real Property Law provides, as relevant
here,
"when an owner or lessee seeks to make improvements or repairs to real property so situated that such improvements or repairs cannot be made by the owner or lessee without entering the premises of an adjoining owner or his lessee, and permission so to enter has been refused, the owner or lessee seeking to make such improvements or repairs may commence a special proceeding for a license so to enter"
{RPAPL § 881).
The license terms are "addressed to the sound discretion of
the court, which must apply a reasonableness standard in
balancing the potential hardship to the applicant if the
petition is not granted against the inconvenience to the
adjoining order if it is granted" {Queens Theater Owner, LLC v
WR Universal, LLC, 192 AD3d 690 [2d Dept 2021]). In this same
vein, "[c]ourts are required to balance the interests of the
parties and should issue a license when necessary, under
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reasonable conditions, and where the inconvenience to the
adjacent property owner is relatively slight compared to the
hardship of his neighbor if the license is refused" (Bd. of
Mgrs. of Artisan Lofts Condominium v Moskowitz, 114 AD3d 491,
492 [1st Dept 2014]).
The factors which the court may consider "in determining
the petition include the nature and extent of the requested
access, the needed protections for the adjoining property, the
lack of an alternative means to perform the work, the public
interest in the completion of the project, and the measures in
place to ensure the financial compensation of the adjoining
owner for any damage or inconvenience resulting from the
intrusion" {Queens Theater Owner, LLC, 192 AD3d at 690-691; see
also Matter of Queens Coll. Special Projects Fund, Inc. v
Newman, 154 AD3d 943, 943-944 [2d Dept 2017]).
"Although the determination of whether to award a license
fee is discretionary, . . . , the grant of licenses pursuant to
RPAPL 881 often warrants the award of contemporaneous license
fees 1' (400 E57 Fee Owner v 405 East 56 th St., LLC, 193 AD3d 626
[1st Dept 2021] [emphasis in original; internal quotation marks
omitted], quoting DDG Warren LLC v Assouline Ritz 1, LLC, 138
AD3d 539, 539-540 [1st Dept 2016]}. "This is because the
respondent to an 881 petition has not sought out the intrusion
and does not derive any benefit from it . . . Equity requires
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that the owner compelled to grant access should not have to bear
any costs resulting from the access" {400 E57 Fee Owner, 193
AD3d at 626, quoting DDG Warren LLC, 138 AD3d at 540).
Further, a license that entails substantial interference
with the use and enjoyment of a neighboring property decreases
the value of the property during the license period {Panasia
Estate, Inc. v 29 West 19 Condominium, 204 AD3d 33, 37 [1st Dept
2022], quoting DDG Warren LLC, 138 AD3d at 540).
Here, petitioners' documentary evidence -- particularly the
affidavit of licensed professional engineer Khalid Algenge, the
detailed site safety plan, and its corresponding drawings --
adequately establish that entry and access to the adjacent
premises is necessary, and that the proposed methods of
protection comply with New York City Building Code (see Tsoumpas
1105 Lexington Equities, LLC v 1109 Lexington Ave. LLC, 189 AD3d
524, 525 [1st Dept 2021] [finding that "petitioner submitted
detailed site safety plans"]). Further, respondent does not
dispute that said safety measures will protect both the public
and the occupants of the adjacent premises from falling debris
and subsequent injury, which is of the utmost importance in
renovation and construction projects. While respondent contends
that underpinning is required, it submits no affidavit of a
licensed professional engineer to contradict petitioner's proof
in this regard.
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Additionally -- though access to the front areaway, roof,
and rear yard will not be permitted for approximately two weeks
-- this is a relatively brief time period and limited
encroachment which apparently has no affect on areas required
for living and daily activities (see House 93, LLC v Lipton, 178
AD3d 545, 545 [1st Dept 2019] [finding that issuing petitioner a
license to access a small portion of respondent's property for
60 days is reasonable and that the inconvenience respondent may
face is slight]). In contrast, there is no dispute that failure
to obtain a license will cause petitioner's financial losses
including administrative costs, insurance expenses, labor and
time (see NYSCEF Doc. No. 21, Petitioners' Memorandum of Law in
Support, p 20).
In light of the principle that RPAPL § 881 provides courts
with the discretion to craft an appropriate licensing fee upon
such terms as justice requires (see Tsoumpas 1105 Lexington
Equities, LLC, 189 AD3d at 525), the court grants respondent a
license fee of $133.33 per day for each day the controlled
access zones are in place. 7
This license fee is appropriate as petitioners' use of the
subject area temporarily interferes with "the use and enjoyment
7 Petitioners, in its revised license agreement proposal, proffered a pro-rated license fee of $4,000.00 per month while the controlled access zones are in place. This license fees takes that proffered amount into account, but instead, applies it on a day-to-day basis. The court notes that respondent did not counter this amount as inadequate or as being insufficient in any regard.
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of the [subject area on the] neighboring property" (Panasia
Estate, Inc., 204 AD3d at 37; see also House 93, LLC, 178 AD3d
at 546 [holding that "the court providently determined that
respondent be awarded the license fee award of $2,000.00 per
month as a result of her temporary loss of enjoyment to the
small portion of the rear yard petitioner will be accessing
pursuant to the license"]}.
Lastly, petitioners proffered to add respondent as an
additional insured onto its insurance policy, which will provide
additional financial protection to respondent (see NYSCEF Doc.
No. 21, Petitioners' Memorandum of Law in Support [providing
that "petitioners [are] willing to name adjacent owner as an
additional insured on the policy"]). Therefore, petitioners
shall name respondent as an additional insured on the general
liability insurance policy.
The respondent shall be on the policy from the date on
which the licensing access begins until the date it expires, and
the policy shall be in the amount of not less than $1,000,000.00
per occurrence and not less than $2,000,000.00 in the aggregate;
with workers compensation and employer's liability insurance of
not less than $1,000,000.00 bodily injury coverage, per
employee; and excess liability coverage in the amount of not
less than $5,000,000.00 (see NYSCEF Doc. No. 34, Proposed
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License Agreement [discussing the proposed insurance policy
coverage and limitations]).
Accordingly, it is hereby
ORDERED that petitioners' petition and order to show cause
are granted; it is further
ORDERED that petitioners are granted a license to access
the adjacent premises located at 355 West 20 th Street, New York,
New York, Block 744, Lot 9 for a period of twelve (12) months
from the commencement of such access on the following terms and
conditions:
i. Petitioners shall conduct a pre-construction survey of
the adjacent premises.
ii. Petitioners shall perform its renovation and
construction project in accordance with all applicable
laws and regulations;
iii. Petitioners shall follow and implement all applicable
safety rules and regulations, including, but not
limited to, OSHA requirements;
iv. Petitioners shall not have access to underpin the
adjacent premises;
v. Petitioners shall provide evidence, including
certificates of insurance and policy agreements, of
insurance coverage to respondent; specifically,
petitioners are to name respondent as an additional
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insured on its commercial general liability policy,
which shall continue for the duration of the access
license, with commercial general liability insurance in
the amount of not less than $1,000,000.00 per
occurrence and not less than $2,000,000.00 in the
aggregate; with workers compensation and employer's
liability insurance of not less than $1,000,000.00
bodily injury coverage, per employee; and excess
liability coverage in the amount of not less than
$5,000,000.00;
vi. Petitioners shall install, maintain, and remove a
protection, as well as on the front areaway, while
petitioners install and subsequently remove the front
engineered enclosure scaffold system;
vii. Petitioners shall install, maintain, and remove a
protection, while petitioners install and subsequently
remove the side engineered enclosure scaffold system;
viii. Petitioners shall install, maintain, and remove a
controlled access zone in the rear yard, including flat
roof protection, while petitioners install and
subsequently remove the rear engineered enclosure
scaffold system;
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ix. Petitioners shall access the airspace of the adjacent
premises to install, maintain, and remove the
engineered enclosure scaffold system, which shall
extend from the side of the project premises five (5)
feet into the airspace of the adjacent premises, and
shall consist of pipe scaffolding, plywood sheathing,
continuous railing, and a full netting enclosure; and
x. Petitioners shall access the roof of the adjacent
premises to perform work on the adjacent premises'
chimneys; it is further
ORDERED that petitioners are directed to pay respondent a
access zones are in place, with the first payment due to
respondent on the date in which the controlled access zones are
erected, and the last payment due to respondent upon the date in
which the controlled access zones are removed in their entirety;
it is further
ORDERED that, if petitioners do not complete the
outstanding work within twelve (12) months from the commencement
of the access, then it shall apply for an extension of its
license, such extension granted upon a showing of good cause
shown; it is further
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ORDERED that petitioners shall notify respondent in writing
when its work has been completed and it has removed all
protection from the adjacent premises;
ORDERED that petitioners shall indemnify, defend, and hold
harmless respondent from and against any and all causes of
action damages, claims, demands, judgments, liens, litigation,
liability, penalties, orders, losses, costs or expenses, to the
extent attributable to property damage, personal injury or
wrongful death; it is further
ORDERED that, within ten (10) days after issuance of this
decision, counsel for petitioners shall serve a copy of this
decision and order, with notice of entry, upon respondents; and
ORDERED that the Clerk of Court shall mark the file
accordingly.
CHECK ONE: CASE DISPOSED NON-FINAL DISPOSITION
GRANTED □ DENIED GRANTED IN PART □ OTHER APPLICATION: SETTLE ORDER SUBMIT ORDER CHECK IF APPROPRIATE: INCLUDES TRANSFER/REASSIGN FIDUCIARY APPOINTMENT □ REFERENCE
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