By BILL SANDERSON

May 21, 2008

An East Side real-estate developer has until June 4 to convince city officials to allow him to continue construction of the 40-story residential tower where a crane collapse killed seven people in March.

Department of Buildings officials yesterday listed 28 ways in which James Kennelly's project at 303 E. 51st St. violates zoning rules.

Topping the list is the building's basic design. Instead of a building that heads 40 stories straight up from the street, the city says Kennelly should have used a tower-on-base design.

That's "a short, fat box on the bottom, and a tall tower that rises out from that base," explained Acting Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri.

Changing that design would require Kennelly to take down most of the 19 stories he has already built.

 

Through a spokesman, Kennelly said he is "confident" he can meet DOB's objections before the June 4 deadline.