Friday, April 18, 2008

Lancaster admits DOB incompetence

The high-rise building under construction on the East Side where a crane collapse last month killed seven people did not conform with zoning regulations and was approved in error, the city’s buildings commissioner said on Thursday at a City Council hearing.

High-Rise Approved in Error Before Crash

Under direct and often withering questioning by council members at the hearing of the Housing and Buildings Committee, called to review crane safety and inspection, Ms. Lancaster said the building under construction had been approved “not in accordance with the zoning regulation.”

“Wow,” said Councilwoman Jessica S. Lappin, whose district includes the site of the crane collapse. “You’re telling me this building should never have been approved in the first place?”

“That is correct,” Ms. Lancaster replied.

Later, in a clarification, the commissioner, Patricia J. Lancaster, told reporters that the Buildings Department should not have approved the building as proposed. But she left open the possibility that it might have been properly approved in a different configuration.


Time to hand in your resignation, Patty.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is proof positive that DOB
doesn't know its ass from its elbow!

This sort of thing
has been going on for decades,
particularly in Queens.
(Just look up the "Vista Towers"
project on Parsons Blv'd. and Roosevelt Ave. in Flushing).

But it took a crane collapse
on Manhattan's posh east side
to bring this department's
full incompetence finally to light!

It's time to end
self certification.....NOW !

faster340 said...

Hey there's my buddy! She should focus on her job instead of sending the DOI after people. How many people are going to die and how much destruction is there going to be before this stops? I think there have been more deaths recently then when they built the Empire State Building so many years ago. Aren't we supposed be getting smarter and safer? I guess greed, corruption and generally not giving a crap take precedence. Oh let's not forget incompetence too.

Anonymous said...

To be good at any job, a person must first be qualified, then gain experience.

To be qualified, to have useful experience, it is fundamentally important that the person gives a good goddam to be at all competent.

Lancaster calls the cops on a critic. Bloomberg thinks that's just swell. Which proves he can't pick people, and she can't do the job.

Two incompetent morons in a pod.

Both must depart.

Anonymous said...

DOB.....
the department of bullshit artists, bumblers and bribe takers!

Oops....
did I leave out backstabbing bastards? !!!

Anonymous said...

Can someone please tell me why isn't her head on a platter?

Anonymous said...

MY HEAD ON A PLATTER?!!!

That does it. I'm calling the cops!

Anonymous said...

The DOB is not incompetent. It knows full well every illegal building going up. Unfortunately for the public, the Department is more interested in how much money it can make by passing on these travesties. It is legend that inspectors take bribes constantly.

Anonymous said...

It's time to give an enema
to the whole damn DOB!

Flush that corrupt crap out of NYC.

Start by dumping bitch Lancaster!

Anonymous said...

I once suggested polygraphing
all building inspectors
several times a year to DOB officials who were attending a JPCA public meeting.

My comments were, subsequently, picked up by the press.

It still sounds like
a damn good way to ensure honesty
at the DOB to me.

What do you all think?

Anonymous said...

To Jerry:

Polygraph? YES!
Frequent, random integrity tests? YES! (police have it, so why not DOB?)
Frequent, random inspection reassignment? YES!
Frequent, random personal accounts audits? YES!

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