On Sunday, May 19, I witnessed an event that could have ended in a catastrophe.
Brunch at de Mole (2 Hope Street) had ended, and with beautiful mariachi music in the background we were preparing the tables for dinner.
The day was beautiful and sunny, the open door let in a soft breeze, when suddenly we heard a shrill and deafening noise, accompanied by a gigantic cloud of red dust, plunging us all into a state of total shock.
After a few seconds, a new roar occurred, increasing our feeling of panic.
At approximately 4:40 PM, at 143 Roebling Street (between Metropolitan Avenue and Hope Street), the parapet roof of this five-story building, a former factory built in 1907, gave way causing a rain of bricks that hit the fire escape and the scaffolding installed on the sidewalk, which collapsed under the weight.
A field of debris and metal covered the street and parked vehicles, some of which were severely damaged.
While our manager, Sean McCloskey, rushed to the street and called 911, I shut the door and silently screamed, “Lord, I hope no one is hurt!”
I remember the dense reddish blanket of dirt particles that in an instant totally covered the interior patio of the restaurant.
de Mole’s Chef Ruth Núñez ran to assist the three women sitting at a table who were convinced that it was an explosion. A table of six who were from Venezuela rushed into the restaurant full of terror. Abel López and Luis Pérez, assistants to the chefs, rushed to the street thinking it was an earthquake or a violent car accident, and so on, a long etcetera of different reactions.
Minutes later, responding to what they call a major collapse matrix, five units responded from the NYC Fire Department (FDNY) with more than 100 firefighters including construction experts and medical teams. The NYC Police Department (NYPD) were also present at the scene.
Surprisingly, no one was injured, either outside or inside the building, which has been vacant for multiple years.
“There is concern that the building will collapse further. There is a lot of debris on the fire escape. Fear is that all the debris and all that weight could pull that fire escape down and knock down that wall. For this reason and after evaluating the possibility of a greater collapse, we have requested the closure of the streets,” declared FDNY Assistant Chief, Mike Myers.
And it’s not the first time this has happened!
The building was subject to another partial collapse in July 2022, which led to the installation of the sidewalk sheds (scaffolding) and netting on the lot’s perimeter to prevent debris from falling.
In the previous collapse, a different portion of the parapet fell, this time in the Roebling Street section. This resulted in a penalty of $6,250 for neglect in maintaining the building. This violation remains open.
The building was sold for $32.3 million, in 2014, to RedSky Capital. This Williamsburg-based developer has gone through difficult financial times in recent years.
Calmwater Capital, a Los Angeles-based commercial real estate lender, took over ownership, having previously lent $60 million to RedSky, to redevelop the building and surrounding lots.
Chef Jose Luis Flores, co-owner of Mexican restaurant de Mole, was informed on May 20, by Anya Lehr, senior advisor to NYC Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez, about the cleanup work scheduled to begin on May 22.
The Department of Environmental Protection (EPA) has also been onsite to monitor air quality.
I visualize again and effortlessly the dozens of people gathered on the corner on this Sunday evening sharing a single concern: when will the negligence from absentee landlords cease to put our lives in such danger?
The Department of Buildings (DOB) says the owner is facing a violation for failure to maintain the building. The hearing date is scheduled for July 24. Should the violation be upheld, officials say it carries a maximum penalty of $25,000.
DOB has ordered the building to sit vacant. A portion of Hope Street was still shut down May 20 in the afternoon.
Gutiérrez sent out an update on the parapet collapse on May 21, which stated, “[T]his incident is a direct result of owner negligence and a failure to maintain this property. The property owner will have to appear in court and is expected to be fined heavily. The next steps will include ensuring that the building and facade are stable; if the property owner fails to do this themselves, DOB will step in with an emergency declaration to ensure its safety.” She continued, “Sunday’s events, along with others across the city, are a stark reminder of our aging infrastructure and owners’ responsibility to maintain buildings and keep them safe—not just for tenants, but also for pedestrians and the wider community. I will remain in close communication with DOB.”
The Greenline 