Building Collapse on Reade (Update)
April 30th, 2009

Debris and crumpled scaffolding are spilling over onto Reade Street in Lower Manhattan after a five-story vacant building built in the 1850s collapsed at 6:30 a.m. this morning.
No one was hurt in the accident, according to city officials.
Scores of firefighters and police officers have surrounded the site and parts of Chambers and Reade streets are blocked off. The accident occurred just blocks from City Hall.
On hand this morning, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer said the building adjacent to the collapsed structure (71 Reade Street/87-89 Chambers Street) may also have to come down.
According to the borough president’s office, the building had four open violations (one dating back to November 2007) mostly for failing to maintain the building’s exterior wall. This month alone the building was visited by Buildings Department inspectors on the 10th, 22th, 28th, and just yesterday. On all dates, the building complaint was inspected and it was later served a violation — from failing to maintain its structure to building cracks. The building is owned by Aaron Vaknin and Industrial Building Corp.
Just last year, the City Council passed legislation requiring the city’s compromised structures to be inspected annually to ensure public safety. That legislation was a result of the several fatal crane and construction accidents the city saw in 2008.
UPDATE: The cause of the building collapse is unknown at this time, but reports reveal a building adjacent to the collapsed structure was under construction. City Room reports that the collapsed building’s owner had recently applied for a demolition permit.
Currently, officials have moved in dump trucks at the scene to clear away debris.
By Courtney Gross on April 30, 2009, 9:37 amIn category: Gotham City | No Comments »

