MTA to spend $1/2 million to stabilize buildings

Bracing for 2nd Ave. Subway
By TOM NAMAKO, NY Post

The MTA will shell out $500,000 to brace two shaky buildings for underground blasting along the Second Avenue Subway construction route, officials said yesterday.

It's cheaper for the agency to pay to stabilize 1768 and 1766 Second Ave. -- near East 92nd Street -- than suffer any more delays on the project, officials said.

The MTA has been using machines to dig the tunnel because the buildings were too wobbly, but soon hope to be able to blast through the underground rock.

Both buildings have a history of structural problems, which some residents blame in part on the prolonged project.

The agency's construction chief, Michael Horodniceanu, said, "We're doing just enough so these are stable for us to proceed with work. Beyond that, the owners will do whatever is needed" to make the buildings sound.