The New York City Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) is integral to how New York City regulates land use, development, and construction in all five boroughs. The BSA is empowered by the City Charter to interpret the meaning or applicability of the Zoning Resolution, Building and Fire Codes, Multiple Dwelling Law and other laws. This power includes the ability to vary in certain instances provisions of these regulations. Margery Perlmutter, Esq, RA, Chair of the BSA, will discuss how the BSA operates, the relief mechanisms available, and how the BSA can be of help in enhancing the viability and design of development projects in NYC.
Margery Perlmutter is a lawyer and an architect. In 2014, she was appointed by Mayor de Blasio to Chair the BSA. Created in 1916, the BSA is the City’s land use relief agency charged with the authority to grant a wide range of waivers from the laws and ordinances that regulate the development and maintenance of buildings in New York City. Until her appointment, Perlmutter was a partner at the law firm of Bryan Cave LLP, where she practiced land use law. From 2005 until 2014 she also served as a commissioner on the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission and prior to that as the co-chair of the Landmarks Preservation Committee on Community Board 5 in Manhattan. Before becoming a lawyer, Perlmutter was the managing partner of Arte NY, an architecture firm specializing in affordable housing and medical facilities. Perlmutter is presently a member of the board of the Storefront for Art and Architecture, and was previously the director of legislative affairs on the board of the American Institute of Architects New York.
