Our old friend 360 Smith Street, (aka Oliver House), which was stopped in its tracks by the Zoning Text Amendment in Carroll Gardens that limited the height of buildings to 55 feet on “narrow” streets is back in action in a sense. The Department of Buildings had hit it with a Stop Work Order because it did not conform to the new zoning. Now, developer Billy Stein has started the process of an appeal to be allowed to build his building to the 70 feet that had planned. The Community Board 6 Land Use Committee will have hearing on the appeal to the Board of Standards and Appeals on August 28, which is a date that may not please many residents given that it is prime vacation time and also the night that Democratic nominee Barack Obama is due to deliver his acceptance speech in Denver. (We’ll be expecting cynics in the neighborhood to suggest more than a coincidence, although we could be wrong.) In any case, here is the notice:

Please be advised that the Landmarks/Land Use Committee will conduct a Public Hearing at their next regularly scheduled committee meeting on August 28, 2008 to consider an application submitted by Oliver Development, LLC for consideration of an extension of time to complete the construction of a new building at 131 Second Place aka 360 Smith Street.

The hearing takes place on Thursday, August 28 at 6 p.m. at P.S. 32, which is located at 317 Hoyt Street at Union Street. It should be an interesting meeting if anyone is around to attend.