After a major construction project along 74th Street and Penelope Avenue in Middle Village damaged multiple people’s property, local residents are calling on the city to look into why some homeowners were compensated and others were not.
Construction began in 2016 to improve stormwater drainage and upgrade the city’s infrastructure system. The $32 million project, contracted by CAC Industries Inc., consisted of replacing the water main, reconstructing sewers, installing catch basins, manholes, sidewalks, roadways and more.
The liability insurer for CAC Industries, Travelers, settled 11 claims from homeowners concerned about property damage after construction ended in 2020. However, an additional 13 claims were denied, leaving homeowners with thousands of dollars in damages that many cannot afford.
Councilman Robert Holden got involved and sent a letter to the Department of Design and Constriction (NYC DDC), which previously oversaw the construction, to ask them to audit the project.
“My constituents deserve more transparency and an understanding as to what evidence was used in denying or approving the claims of homeowners,” Holden said. “Auditing the 74th Street sewer project will not only be useful to the homeowners who suffered property damage but will also help ensure future projects are conducted more responsibly.”
A DDC spokesperson told QNS that they plan to respond to Holden’s letter after reviewing the project and subsequent claims.
One resident, Danny O’Neill, was previously compensated for damage to his water heater but denied payment for cracks sustained to the front stoop and his home’s foundation.
“There was massive machinery here every day, pounding the ground over and over again. Our houses were rattling and shaking,” O’Neill said.
After incessant pounding, O’Neills water heater burst. CAC Industries
took responsibility and O’Neill was compensated $1,000 for a new water
heater. However, O’Neill’s damaged front stoop, only a few feet away
from the construction, was not covered.
3 comments:
The War on the middle class never ends....
It's the free market at work. It's what contractors and developers do.
O’Neills water heater burst.
Street pounding even for months don't make water heaters burst
Temperature, water pressure, cycles and maintenance determine lifespan.
A family with a lot of kids and loads of daily 60+ gallon warm laundry will also do it. Ask any large family about water heater luck.
Most homeowners are clueless.
The typical tank is steel lined with porcelain enamel
It contains magnesium or aluminum anode rods suspended in the center of the tank to fight internal corrosion. (note the 2 large hex head screws & seals on the top center) These rods are designed to slow down corrosion. The rod is made of aluminum or magnesium, which wears out faster than steel.
Like in a battery when water hits the magnesium or Alum, (anode rod) it releases electrons which form a protective barrier around the negative charged steel (- Cathode) of the tank.
The corrosion goes to the sacrificial rods and not the steel tank. (think of how electroplating works only you don't need electricity)
Sacrificial boat anodes and propellers work the same way.
Most people forget to remove, replace or clean these $10 rods.
They say "oh BS, its working fine $20 rods not necessary" leave it alone. F%#~ing Gino, go back in your Cadillac"
Then cry boo hoo hoo Gino Help us "the contractors, street traffic broke it" when it breaks and the fix was appraised at $1800 not including the flooded basement damage.
To all the lousy clueless homeowners:
Water heaters, home heating and AC systems are NOT maintenance free!!
Water heaters are also supposed to be in pans with leak detectors and automatic water shutoff. However most homeowners are CHEAP, the Mexicans and young plumbing workers haven't a clue how to do this (sensors, wiring and electricity is involved) Most homeowners don't want to spend the additional $400 and would rater risk coming home to 4 feet water in the basement
-Gee
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