Lawyer: Developer Had Permit for Brandreth Pill Factory Demolition

When Plateau Associates LLC of Pleasantville had the Brandreth Pill Factory torn down yesterday, they were working with a valid permit, the company’s lawyer said.

But Ossining village Mayor Victoria Gearity disagreed.

“It’s my understanding there’s disagreement on the legitimacy of that permit,” she said.

• RELATED: Brandreth Pill Factory Demolished Without Permit

Plateau’s attorney, Paul Stone, said today the permit, issued in 2008, is valid. Moreover, he said, he told village officials the demolition was imminent.

“On March 24 in court I told the judge we intended to avail ourselves of the clause in the village code that a building may be demolished in full satisfaction of any claimed violations,” Stone said, “That was repeated in court March 31. Plus I sent two transmissals of documents to the Building Department...Not hearing a word back from the village, we proceeded.”

Stone said the village issued a demolition permit in 2008 grudgingly, because it had to since the building was decayed and unsound; then gave it landmark status; then started issuing code violations, all trying to coerce Plateau Associates into rehabbing a building its engineering report said could not be repaired.

However, Miguel Hernandez, whose home abuts Plateau’s property, said Ossining requires anyone who wants to demolish a building with local landmark status to appear before the Historic Preservation Commission or otherwise apply for Certificate of Appropriateness.

The Preservation Commission gave the pill factory Landmark status after the Building Department granted the demolition permit.

The building, which has stood empty for decades, has been a bit of a nuisance. Several years ago Ossining police had to guard it one night after word spread online inviting people to a “rave.”

The village began issuing citations to Plateau in 2012 for violation of state building codes. Those were thrown out in court.

The building has been decaying and dangerous because of years of wilful neglect on Plateau’s part, Gearity said.

The mayor said from her perspective, Ossining can’t function well if property owners fly in the face of local laws.

“Even if you have a (landmark) designation, you can still be granted a permit, but it’s a different standard and they made no effort to meet it,” she said.

Yesterday the village issued and the local court upheld a stop-work order, so the building remains only partially demolished.

PHOTO: Developer Peter Stilatis and attorney Paul Stone at the Brandreth Pill Factory, April 14, 2015/Miguel Hernandez