BBLs and ACRIS - more than alphabet soup of property records!

I've spent much time mucking around property records as of late.  It goes with the territory!  Lately though, I realized that I've become quite familiar ACRIS - the web based search system for researching property records.  While the system is completely free and open to the public, it does require familiarity with the the Borough, Block, and Lot (BBL) system that the City of New York uses to organize property records.  

The Borough, Block and Lot system is oriented around fixed chunks of land that are each subdivided into individual sections.  This approach contrasts the one designed for movement - street addresses - which is oriented around the arteries for traffic flow.  

A lot is typically an individually owned piece of land (condo units are also assigned individual lot numbers) & generally corresponds to a single tax bill.  A block is a group of lots that are bounded on four sides by streets.  For example, in Manhattan the block bounded by Lenox Avenue and Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard, West 118th, and West 119th is Block 1903.   In this block, individual lots are numbered starting at 001 and counted as the lots wrap around the block.  

Writing BBL numbers: 

A quick note about writing BBL numbers (from the Department of Finance). The Borough number is always first:

1 = Manhattan
2 = Bronx
3 = Brooklyn
4 = Queens
5 = Staten Island

The Block number is second and can be up to 5 digits.
The Lot number is last and can be up to 4 digits.

Using BBL numbers to search property records

Many city agencies make public records available online to be searched via BBL number. For example, the Department of Finance collects property taxes and other property-related charges. It also maintains land title records and tax maps, conducts lien sales, and collects Real Property Transfer and Mortgage Recording Taxes. Anyone can easily research these property via  ACRIS.  

The Automated City Register Information System (ACRIS) allows searches of property records from 1966 to the present(and more) for Manhattan, Queens, Bronx, and Brooklyn.  Simply type in the Borough, Block, and Lot and all sorts of information like recorded mortgages and deeds is instantly at your fingertips.  No BBL number for the property in question?  Never fear!  ACRIS also can convert a street address to a BBL number.  It's a simple as that.  

Now, go try ACRIS out....see what you can find.  Start here: 

http://a836-acris.nyc.gov/Scripts/Coverpage.dll/index