Monday, November 2, 2009

DOB says this is perfectly safe


"These were taken about 10am this morning at the St. Saviour's site. There was a partial stop work order in effect which stated that there could be no excavation within 20 feet of the damaged retaining wall and that they were to repair the shoddy construction fence. So they were replacing the fence manually while excavating the wall with heavy equipment without any protection whatsoever for the public. I can't really describe in words what was going on there - you have to watch these videos to understand. But the arm of the backhoe was swinging out over the sidewalk and they were driving it on top of an unstable mound of dirt. Both 311 and 911 were called but no one came."







More videos here.

When I got home, I received this:

Dear Ms. Wilkinson,

An inspector was sent to the above location this morning. At the time of the inspection, the Inspector observed no work in progress, except to make the site safe. Specifically, workers were observed using a machine to remove dirt from the sidewalk. The Department of Buildings will nonetheless continue to monitor the location to ensure compliance with the Stop Work Order.

Sincerely,

Byron Muñoz, MA
Liaison
Intergovernmental and Community Affairs
NYC Department of Buildings

I replied with a link to the photos and videos and asked them not to insult my intelligence.

Now there is a scramble to try to save what's left of the historic stone wall." - Christina Wilkinson

UPDATE: "I got a call that a 10-foot section of the wall collapsed around 2pm." - Christina

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

someones getting their palm greased...is danny still working at Queens DOB?

Anonymous said...

Call DOI. Seriously.

Christina Wilkinson said...

Forgot to mention that a Mike Bloomberg campaign truck drove by while I was down there to add insult to injury.

Not kidding.

Anonymous said...

Yeah! It's Bloomberg. No doubt about it. I saw that truck too!

Anonymous said...

I know you think you are funny but it IS Bloomberg. He has allowed developers to literally get away with murder.

And he could have saved this site but he chose not to. Of course the High Line, prone to lawsuits, is a different matter! Threw as much money as that as possible!

-Joe said...

The wall already has a death sentance.
The terrorist owner is going to do as much spiteful damage as he possibly can.
Have no doubt the Owner, DOB and Mayor's SS troops are in on it to bring the people of Maspeth to their knees.

Anonymous said...

It's so sickening that these developers are allowed to get away with this stuff with impunity. How many violations has this site racked up and how many fines have they not paid?

There's gotta be someone from the DOB in their pocket.

Anonymous said...

They don't see because of the Benjamin Blindfolds.

Meanwhile no one ever saw anything at my landlord's deadly construction sites because the illegal alien workers would run across the roof and down the adjacent building every time the keystone cops dropped by.

That is why they never observed any work and probably still wouldn't if the building was being blown up with dynamite at high noon.

Anonymous said...

Amazing how they not only put innocent people living in the area in danger but also their own workers.

Taxpayer said...

Remember this on Tuesday.

You were too busy to vote? Now Vote!

You thought the Commissar "deserved" more time? The only time he deserves is behind bars!

Dump this dwarf before DOB fails to notice your own home being bulldozed for the Commissar's pleasure and profit!

Take control. Or, be under control!

Dump the dwarf!

Anonymous said...

taxapayer, stop wasting your breath and time.

you get nowhere preaching to the choir.

Anonymous said...

Why didn't Bill Thompson speak out on the destruction? This could have been his chance to win some Maspeth votes!

Steve G. said...

I was at the site yesterday too. I've never seen anything as stupid or dangerous as what went on there. We made probably a dozen calls to different people and agencies to try to get this shut down including 911 and 311. There was no response. Nothing. We could have just as well have been in the middle of the desert and received the same response as we did in New York City. It was both scary and extraordinarily depressing. And then the Bloomberg truck rolled by on Rust Street in a moment that was poetically ominous. Welcome to Mike Bloomberg's New York. Four more years of this type of leadership will kill this city.

Anonymous said...

over here by me,there was no work permit,excavating was in progress-their days work finished resulting in an unsecured,unshored hole more than 12 feet deep,15 by 15feet--yes we jumped in and measured it while waiting for the emergency inspector to arrive,excavation could affect abutting houses foundations--row houses----and when this chump comes....he says to us that this is LANDSCAPING,not excavating--so we told him we'll all remember that if and when we excavate the front of our homes to open the basement to the street--PsOS--same moron came when we complained that this site has a stop work order and they're re-gutting it/stripping all the new plumbing and leaving the doors unlocked,garbage and filth and standing water as well---he tells us that there is no stop work order etc etc---we complained about him,also saw on the nycbis that supposdly 2 inspectors came that day too--so 2 guys got paid ? to report nothing going on/unsubstantiated---WE GIVE UP-we're also concerned bcause gas/electric are still ON-nobody cares.

tommy v said...

the mayors walk to a park plan does not count for maspeth. it is a dam shame we will not have land that was here before we were and a part of maspeth history.