Another Fatal Crane Collapse in Manhattan

Is this the price we have to pay for "luxury" housing in this city?
Accidents happen, but these are like early civilization prices to pay.

Posted by: guest at May 30, 2008 9:52 AM

Where are the fingers going to be pointed with Patricia Lancaster out?

Posted by: guest at May 30, 2008 10:42 AM

The problems in a nutshell: build it big, build it cheap, build it fast cannot be allowed to continue; self-certification has got to go; and DOB needs a total overhaul.

Posted by: guest at May 30, 2008 11:08 AM

Maybe if the Mayor and the Planning Board weren't in such a hurry to build every square inch. Construction accidents have increased quite a bit over the last few years- I know there are a lot of reasons for it, but the pandering to developers and the lack of real oversight is a main one. Awhile ago the times said that NYC depends too much on the financial industry and Wall St.for its economy. I think it has also come to depend too much on the construction industry. When you got 2 legs and one breaks and the other is sprained, you're in big trouble.

Posted by: guest at May 30, 2008 11:15 AM

It is understandable that the instinct now is to find someone guilty, someone who is “cutting corners”, “trying to get away with the procedures”, “pushing the schedules” and so on. But before you point the accusing finger, try – for a minute – to be reasonable and think logically. It appears that the more the city is tightening the screws the more tragedies happen. Do you think 5 or 10 years ago people were not cutting corners and were not pushing the schedules?! Of course they were - not less than today, and the City rules were not nearly as severe as today with all the ‘jumps” and inspections and stop work orders. And yet, this sort of causalities did not happen in such frequency. Apparently, unlike the Surge in Iraq, more inspectors out on sites don’t seem the successful strategy. On the contrary, it seems getting less and less safe. I think it has something to do with the general atmosphere of fear spread in the city BECAUSE of the hardening and tightening and menacing that a single phone call to the city from the angry maniac - neighbor complaining on you, duly or unduly, will stop your work regardless and instantly, with 200 workers out without the possibility to resume anytime soon with tremendous loss of money and so on. This atmosphere of fear when none wants to take any responsibility is not a good condition for getting the construction sites safer.

Posted by: guest at May 30, 2008 11:29 AM

according to the article, the City just ended it's onsite inspectors this week in favor of spot checking. And yes- there is a instinct to "find someone guilty" but it is also a need. But to say increasing City oversight is the problem is just not a reasonable answer.

With the previous crane accident, several errors in the mounting of the crane were found, and I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) that they did not get proper permits for several procedures.

The DOB is stretched too thin. the planning board is allowing anything and everything. Frankly if a mud ant came with a plan to build a nest in central Park, I think they'd ok it- as long as it was for luxury insect housing. And once a company is found remiss, they get fined, but other than that, what?

Urban foundation, when constructing the Brooklyn Law Dormitory pulled a lot of fast ones, endangering the older surrounding buildings and tenants, and collapsing a building next to the site. they planned on anchoring the dormitory by putting the fastenings (can't remember the proper term) beneath the other properties- which they had not gotten permission for. They were digging beneath one of the walls of the building- a garage- they collapsed. The cars has to be crushed and removed by crane so the entire area was contaminated by gallons of gasoline from the crushed tanks. they did days of pile driving until cracks appeared on surrounding buildings and they were ordered to stop and use a different means of putting the piles into the ground by literally screwing them in. It was more expensive but they wanted to cut corners. In the ned the dorm is up, but the stupidity and greed of Urban Foundation cost the college millions in delays and work stoppages.

And if the tenants of the buildings around the site hadn't gotten together and screamed, none of the stoppages and fees would have happened. Of course there would have been a few more collapsed buildings and dead people, but thinking City oversight is the problem is totally backwards. It's lack of oversight.

Posted by: guest at May 30, 2008 12:03 PM

Why ever did they come up with this plan? what possible justification is there for it? Saving money?

Posted by: guest at May 30, 2008 1:26 PM

It is time for that little creep to stop down.

Posted by: guest at June 4, 2008 9:48 PM