NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The City of New Rochelle Bureau of Buildings has issued a Notice of Violation to Vincent J. Bonanno for failure to comply with a building permit issued June 20, 2000 for the construction of a back porch at his primary residence at at 24 Ronalds Avenue. More violation notices are expected soon.
The violation notices come as a result of reporting by Talk of the Sound on illegal construction at 24 Ronalds Avenue.
A review of building department files showed that only one permit has ever been issued for 24 Ronalds Avenue, an open permit for a back porch.
On July 27, 2000 a building inspector reviewed the plans for the back porch after Bonanno eliminated “sonotubes” and stairs and ordered that Bonanno’s architect amended the plans. A sonotube is a cardboard form tube pouring concrete footings. Bonanno failed to comply and built the back porch anyway. Bonanno will be required to apply for a new building permit, amend the plans and submit them for review to the New Rochelle Planning Board. The estimated cost of compliance is expect to run between $1,500 and $2,000, according to one city official.
Talk of the Sound previously reported that Bonanno and convicted felon Mauro Zonzini built a driveway, pillars and a retaining wall at Bonanno’s house. Zonzini pled guilty in federal court last week to tax evasion and corruption in relation to a bribery and kickback scheme involving John Gallagher of Aramark, former Director of Environmental Services for the City School District of New Rochelle. Gallagher was Bonanno’s boss for many years. Zonzini signed a cooperation agreement with the United States Department of Justice and is expected to testify against Bonanno. Gallagher was indicted on related corruption charges and plead not guilty in federal court. He is expected to cut a similar deal with the Justice Department.
A review of aerial GIS photo shows that the driveway was built sometime after the 2000 Westcheter County GIS aerial photo was taken but before the 2004 Westcheter County GIS aerial photo was taken.
The driveway includes an “apron” that connects to the roadway. Bonanno failed to obtain a Public Works permit for the apron. The two pillars included electrical lighting. Bonanno failed to obtain an electrical permit from the Bureau of Buildings. The edging and surface of the driveway appears to be larger than the driveway before the work was done by Zonzini. If so, the driveway increases the non-permeable surface which may then have required an additional permit.
All of this apart from Talk of the Sound reporting previously that the building material was stolen from masonry projects at Trinity Elementary School and New Rochelle High School, and that the work was done by three Board of Education employees, including Bonanno, on District time.