The New York City Buildings Department's web site indicates that a Stop Work Order was issued because the NYC Fire Department requested a "structural stability inspection due to front wall collapse and rear wall in danger of collapsing."
A permit was approved by DoB in September 2015 to turn the existing four family building into a two-family residence. The construction work also included a vertical and horizontal addition.
The construction project apparently has had a fair number of problems. More than 20 complaints have been called in to DoB regarding this address. The complaints include work despite a stop-work-order, appearance of exterior cracks, and demolition without proper safety measures.
The photos above were taken on Monday morning. Workers were in the process of stabilizing the remaing façade with 2x4s.
Did the blizzard actually cause the collapse? That doesn't seem clear. In any case, rumor has it that the owners want to turn this into a $5 million property. Which is crazy. I mean, I love this block—I live here—but if I had $5 million to spend on a house, I think I might buy elsewhere...
ReplyDeleteThis was my old building. I lived there until 2010. In fact the third floor apartment is where me and my friend used to live. The roof drain would clog up a lot and we'd have leaks in which we had to go up the fire escape and unclog the drain with the end of a broom handle. There were a few rain storms in which I had to go up there. We'd tell the landlord about it and show the leaks but he never really did anything about it. After the building was sold three or so years ago my friend who still was in the apartment was kicked out and the building remained empty. I can only assume years of no proper drainage and water leaking into the building finally caused it to collapsed. That building was in major need of a gut renovation.
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