Hidden New York

BOWLING a anyone?

We found this abandoned bowling alley on cellar level 3 of a1929 apartment building in Washington Hts NYC. 

Untouched for over 50 years    

You can almost imagine how modern it must have appeared during the 30's and 40's before the war. 

One of the many amenities (including gymnasiums, pools and larger apartments) smart developers included in new buildings to lure prospective tenants north of the city.

Premiere Manhattan Properties Remain Vacant

The lights are on but no one is home in New York City…literally. Premiere residences are swept off the market by business moguls from all over the world who stay in their NYC residences a handful of times a year. In a city where a parking space sells for $1 million, some may wonder, “Who would spring for premium real estate and leave it vacant?”. Judgments to the side, many NYC residents are worried this may widen the gap between the wealthy and poor. BSC crews are noticing a number of high-end residences in Manhattan that seem unoccupied. 

One of many high-end survey projects that is completely unoccupied for most of the year. 

Request a Building Survey Quote!

The BUILDING SURVEY Corp. is now accepting online quote requests! A little information about your project goes a long way, and we will get back to you as possible. Also, make sure to check out our latest website changes including our list of services. 

We are the leading providers for building and construction documentation services for over 30 years. 

The Struggle of Building Surveyors: Why are Building Drawings Under-appreciated?

The role of a building surveyor cannot be reduced to,"someone who draws buildings". Creating a professional existing conditions document requires knowledge which spans across residential, commercial, industries, luxury, landmarks, and many more projects. In the most fundamental sense, building surveyors represent a binary profession of both the architectural and construction industries. 

The nature of the work is dangerous, and often requires 2 man crews or more. Entering a burned out tenement, a chemical factory, underground tunnels, etc. is dangerous for anyone, but is necessary for a surveyor to obtain the most accurate measurements. Proper gear is required, as is physical endurance considering larger-scale projects that could take a couple days to measure. 

Measuring Queens College Tunnels

In other countries, such as Scotland and Great Britain, building surveying is a revered profession and the highest-profiled surveyors come from abroad. Why is that? Some argue that the United States doesn't appreciate architecture the same way other countries do, especially European countries. Others will say that the United States doesn't have as much antiquated architecture for there to be a demand of surveyors. Both points of view are erroneous; surveyors deal with all real estate professionals and all forms of architecture. Although slow to catch fire in The States, BSC is a proud surveying company and growing more everyday. 

Building Surveyors in Hell's Kitchen

With the Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project underway, its no wonder that developers and brokers are gearing up over properties in Hell's Kitchen. The seedy reputation that used to define this neighborhood is no longer applicable, partly due to its' artsy revival and partly for its increasingly high-end location. Disgruntled tenants from the Village are migrating to Hell's Kitchen for roomier living at a discounted price, and for good reason*. Hell's Kitchen is a Historic District, so its old New York City charm still exists. Additionally, with the completion of the Hudson Yards project, this NYC neighborhood will be much more accessible. One example of these historic buildings is 444 West 55th Street. Measured by BSC in 2012 and sold in 2013, this building houses galleries and antique stores such as Hutter Auction Galleries. 

*http://therealdeal.com/issues_articles/fired-up-over-hells-kitchen/

Draftsmen Needed for Immediate Hire

 

GREAT

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The BUILDING SURVEY CORP. is currently seeking motivated individuals for FULL TIME positions as BUILDING SURVEYORS and CADD OPERATORS (Computer Draftspersons).  Applicants must be highly energetic, motivated, 

and have excellent skill with AutoCAD. 

Pay varies with experience.

Applicants should email their resume to:

 the attention of:

Peter@buildingsurvey.net The BUILDING SURVEY Corp.

THE ODD SETT

Help us solve the mystery!

We were working on Greene St in Manhattan and noticed this peculiar "Cobblestone" with a smooth symmetrical notch. We began discussing this curious little stone and no-one could come up with a likely scenario for its history. We'd love to hear what you think about this stone.  Some of the questions we have:

-What was the notch cut for?

-Was the notch cut in a larger block that was later re-purposed as a cobble* (Sett Stone)

-Was the notch cut in America or another country (England, Holland?) and brought as ship ballast?

- Why was this cobble (Sett) not discarded by the Sett Mason who layed Greene St.?

*Cobblestones are small stones rounded by the flow of water and were used in the pavement of early streets. Setts are often confused with cobblestones, although setts are shaped to a regular form whereas cobblestone are from a naturally occurring form.

Example of a cobblestone surface.

Example of a sett stone surface.