Midtown Buildings Evacuated After Collapse Report

By CHRISTOPHER FAHERTY, Staff Reporter of the Sun
May 6, 2008

Two apartment buildings in Midtown were evacuated yesterday after the fire department was called in to check on a potential building collapse, officials said.

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Heuichul Kim A building on 39th Street between 8th and 9th Avenue, New York, is unstable condition. 05/05/2008

A construction project at 311 W. 39th St. apparently jeopardized the structure of the nearby buildings enough for officials from the city Department of Buildings, an agency recently roiled by the resignation of its commissioner, Patricia Lancaster, to call for the evacuations.

"We have ordered safety precautions to be taken as construction of the foundation continues. We will not allow development to take place at the expense of the public's safety," the acting commissioner of the department, Robert LiMandri, said.

The Red Cross is providing residents of the two evacuated buildings, at 307 W. 39th St. and 304 W. 40th St., with relocation assistance. The vacate orders will remain in effect until the buildings department deems the residences safe to live in, officials said.

In addition to evacuating the two buildings, the Department of Buildings ordered the contractor of the nearby development, a planned 39-story hotel, to install additional foundation bracing at 307 W. 39th St. The buildings department also served the contractor, Tritel Construction Group, with a stop-work order for all construction above the project's foundation, officials said.

Ms. Lancaster's resignation came in the wake of a number of construction- and development-related deaths in the city this year. Mr. LiMandri, her replacement, has promised to make construction safety a top priority.