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Board upholds renovation permit at 1460 Broadway but delays start until tenants move out
Summary
The board upheld a comprehensive renovation permit for 1460 Broadway but ordered work stayed until July 21 to allow elderly tenants evicted under the Ellis Act to move out, citing equity concerns and safety scheduling.
The Board of Appeals voted to uphold the Department of Building Inspection’s permit for renovations at 1460 Broadway but placed a condition: no construction work may begin before July 21, the day after the tenants’ stated Ellis Act eviction date of July 20.
Tenants and their representative, Catherine Kwok, told the board the building houses seniors and medically vulnerable residents who face disruptions, scheduled utility outages, and health risks from interior construction. The tenants asked the board to delay any work until they had vacated the units to avoid safety and displacement hardships.
Owner Anand Gohal, who purchased the building in February, said he planned major electrical, plumbing, window and parking upgrades and that most work would occur in already vacant units; he said he had repeatedly tried to contact tenants and had staff ready to minimize disruptions. Commissioners asked about communications and whether the owner understood Ellis Act timelines; the owner acknowledged awareness and said he intended to schedule outages and work to minimize tenant hardship.
After deliberation about legal property rights under the Ellis Act and equity for long-term tenants, the board voted 5–0 to uphold the permit but to suspend work until July 21, effectively granting tenants a scheduling accommodation without reversing the permit approval.
Next steps: The permit stands; the owner may begin construction once the stay expires and subject to any DBI or utility scheduling requirements. The board recorded the condition in the permit decision.
