After a two-year investigation, the Department of Buildings (DOB) released on Tuesday the cause behind the deadly 2023 Lower Manhattan parking garage collapse.
Buildings Commissioner Jimmy Oddo revealed that an “extensive” investigation has led authorities to believe that the April 18, 2023 structural failure resulted from unauthorized construction work.
Employees of the parking garage reportedly improperly dug out bricks and motor from a column below the third floor of the building without realizing it had been holding up the 98-year-old structure. This, combined with what the agency called a flawed engineering assessment, deteriorated bricks, and poor maintenance, served as a perfect storm.
Oddo called the incident preventable and pointed out the importance of work receiving permits from the DOB.
“This tragedy in the heart of Lower Manhattan was entirely preventable,” Oddo said. “The reckless direction of these workers to remove bricks from the pier, together with the failure to report the issue to DOB, obtain the required construction permits, and install critical structural shoring, caused this building to come down. We have stringent regulations in our codes intended to prevent collapses like this from occurring, but those regulations aren’t keeping anyone safe if they are not being followed.”
The collapse on April 18, 2023 led to the death of 59-year Willis Moore after the supports gave way with him still inside and a weeks-long cleanup process that utilized cranes removing each ruined vehicle from the rubble.
In the weeks leading up to the catastrophic failure, the garage’s owner hired Experion Design Group to make repairs but the firm did not decipher that the column being worked on also helped hold up the garage bearing dozens of cars.
“In Manhattan, a borough with numerous older structures, many over 100 years old, adhering to proper procedures is all the more important,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said. “This horrific tragedy demonstrates the grave and unacceptable risks of performing demolition work without following DOB regulations and without appropriate professional supervision.”
Mayor Eric Adams and hundreds of first responders raced to the scene, using technology like drones and the digidog to both navigate and assess the damage. The Mayor’s office says they will have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to failure to adhere to DOB regulations.
“The city’s construction regulations are in effect to keep people safe. The tragedy at Ann Street reminds us that every time unpermitted work occurs, it could literally lead to loss of life,” Deputy Mayor for Operations Jeff Roth said. “Owners of the million-plus buildings in New York City must maintain their buildings, and ensure that work is safe and legal. The DOB’s new predictive analytics department will soon be on the look-out, seeking unsafe work environments to stop tragedies like this one before they happen.”
