In a partial wall collapse on Tues. Nov. 8, a roughly 6-foot-by-5-foot chunk of bricks and cement fell from the wall on the fourth story of a vacant, five-story building under renovation at 151-153 E. Houston St., crashing onto the roof of the adjacent two-story building to the east. The Department of Buildings issued a stop-work order for the construction and a vacate order was issued for the commercial building onto which the masonry fell, which houses a Chinese noodle factory. Con Edison also shut off gas to 151-153 E. Houston St. as a precaution.
Jennifer Givner, a D.O.B. spokesperson, said it appeared concrete was being poured when the accident occurred. A violation was issued for “failure to safeguard public and property.” Givner said required permits for the construction were issued on Oct. 18.
The work calls for adding two stories atop the existing structure and also increasing its space horizontally. Formerly the building was home to a combination pet shop/bicycle store on the ground floor, while the top stories were left vacant. Under plans filed with the buildings department, it will become a “transient,” or short-term-stay, hotel with commercial use on the ground floor, Givner said.
