No Hard Answers Yet on Myrtle Building Collapse
[nggallery id=”33487″ template=galleryview] As the 48-hour mark approaches at 493 Myrtle Avenue, there is still no definitive cause of the four-story building’s collapse. At this point, the likely cause still seems to be some combination of existing structural problems related to a crack in the eastern facade of the building compounded by weeks of heavy…
[nggallery id=”33487″ template=galleryview]
As the 48-hour mark approaches at 493 Myrtle Avenue, there is still no definitive cause of the four-story building’s collapse. At this point, the likely cause still seems to be some combination of existing structural problems related to a crack in the eastern facade of the building compounded by weeks of heavy rains. “On May 1, there was no threat of a collapse,” said Buildings Commis sioner Robert LiMandri. “What changed since then? The rain and the work being done.” DOB is still examining the permitting and work history and looking into whether the contractor, M & R Construction, bears any of the blame. When we stopped by the site earlier this morning, the dismantling of the neighboring building at 491 Myrtle Avenue was well underway. The most poignant detail was the children’s bunk bed visible on the top floor.
Recent Repairs Are Focus in Inquiry Into Building Collapse [NY Times]
Scaffolf, Rain Eyed in B’klyn Collapse [NY Post]
Over a Dozen Tenants Left Homeless [NY Daily News]
Many of you may not have been around this neighborhood over 20 years ago so you probably don’t remember but….the building on the other side of the parking lot also took a tumble around 1988. I should know. I was working in there that day and I watched the entire side come down and pancake Dottie’s van in that lot. That area has been a trouble spot for a LONG time. Probably when they removed the building that was where the lot is now. I ave lived here 29 years and I don’t ever remember any structure there so it has been a while. Of course the other trouble spot was the Romanian Garden or Dottie’s as we all called it. I spent and did a LOT in there back then! If you want to see my experience with the collapse day 21 years ago here it is: http://fusionfitnesstv.com/another-building-collapses-in-brooklyn/
Robert
Does anyone remember when a building in the vicinity of the Citygroup Center(Citycorps), NYC, began crumbling into the street a couple (or more) years ago? I think it is a wonder that more old (over 100 years) buildings don’t fall down.
Actually, Citycorps, itself, was in danger of toppling over, too, remember? Before engineers swooped in and corrected things.
gemini- water damage can bring buildings down. Usually though, it takes quite sometime to damage structure enough to cause a collapse. A few weeks of heavy rain? I have my doubts too. But in this case, i think the DOB is stretching to find an excuse for a bad call. A full ground to roof crack and no one was worried enough to do more than issue a citation?
“No Hard Answers Yet on Myrtle Building Collapse”
Vibrations due to jack hammers. Disturbance of an already fragile condition. My edumacated guess. Okay, okay – not a hard answer!
***Bid half off peak comps***
I agree with I disagree!
am suspicious now with the DOB also throwing “rain” into the mix of why this building collapased.
Yes it’s been a rainy June – but am sure that building which has stood over 100 years has seen its share of rainy seasons…
From what I read, it seems they were patching the crack which sounds to me like they were filling it in. So it was purely cosmetic, and with serious structural issues the DOB is at fault for not following up. Having gone head to head with the DOB in the past, they have to be foreced to focus. In the case with where I used to live, they kept leaving it to chance the construction company would act in a safe and legal manner. After the building behind us collapsed they finally got the idea the construction company was not to be trusted but it was all of us tenants in surrounding buildings who kept on them day after day.
does anyone else find it odd that the DOB’s assessment of “threat of collapse” apparently does not include taking into account possible weather conditions? it’s not like we had nonstop torrential downpours. yes, more rain in june than usual but nothing crazy. the “work being done” claim is slightly more plausible, i suppose, but really only excuses the DOB’s failure if the work that was being done (either in kind or in quality) was somehow not foreseeable as of may 1. of course, this in no way absolves the contractor or the landlord, but it would be pretty infuriating if the DOB is giving these guys passes when it ought to be shutting them down.
They must have found serious structural damage to the building next to it if they didn’t let people in to collect their belongings. What a terrible story. You have to understand how fast a building can come down, with seemingly little cause. The side party wall was badly damaged from what they said- would you chance going back in to get clothes?
So are they going to trash everything as they tear down 491? They were throwing clothes off into the trash this morning. It just seems wrong that you lose your home and you have to watch some guy destroy your belongings.