Why Did the Building Collapse in the Bronx, NY
February 22, 2024 –
Look into the partially collapsed building in the Bronx’s Morris Heights neighborhood last year on December 11, 2023.
It has shown that it was most likely caused by a major mistake in structural assessment. Officials from the city have stated that an engineer who was inspecting the building got a load-bearing column wrong, which caused the building to fall down.
Reports say the engineer called the column a “non-structural element,” meaning it wasn’t necessary for the stability of the building but was just for looks. Because of this wrong diagnosis, possible structural weaknesses were not fixed, which led to the fall.
The event, which happened on December 11, 2023, forced many people to move, but luckily no one was killed or seriously hurt. Since then, the city has taken strong action, such as removing the engineer’s license and starting a full review of inspection procedures to make sure that tragedies like this don’t happen again.
This event shows how important it is to do thorough structural assessments and how much more control is needed to make sure that buildings and people in New York City are safe.
Who was the Engineer of the Collapsed Building in the Bronx
Today in New York, Mayor Eric Adams and DOB Commissioner Jimmy Oddo disclosed a recent agreement with professional engineer Richard Koenigsberg regarding his failure to properly assess structural components at 1915 Billingsley Terrace. This oversight led to a partial building collapse in December 2023 in the Bronx’s Morris Heights area. Subsequent to the incident, DOB temporarily halted Koenigsberg’s ability to conduct façade inspections in NYC.
The binding agreement stipulates Koenigsberg’s voluntary two-year suspension from conducting façade inspections under Local Law 11, alongside a $10,000 fine. Simultaneously, investigations into the collapse’s causative factors are underway by the DOB, NYC Department of Investigation, and the Bronx District Attorney’s Office. Mayor Adams emphasized the paramount importance of public safety and professional responsibility in construction endeavors. He commended Commissioner Oddo and the DOB team for their swift actions in ensuring accountability and facilitating the safe return of affected families to their residences.
Building Facade Inspection
“Ensuring public safety in our city heavily depends on the expertise of state-licensed private engineers, particularly in accurately diagnosing building conditions,” stated DOB Commissioner Oddo. “When an engineer fails in this responsibility, our disciplinary team acts swiftly to restrict their work within our city.
Today’s decisive action against Mr. Koenigsberg sends a clear message: sloppy work endangering New Yorkers will not be tolerated. Since the collapse, our enforcement team has diligently investigated all potential contributing factors, conducted thorough field inspections of related properties, and urged landlords to promptly repair 1915 Billingsley Terrace, ensuring the safe return of displaced families.”
On December 11, 2023, a section of 1915 Billingsley Terrace experienced a significant collapse, fortunately without fatalities or serious injuries. Before the incident, Koenigsberg, hired for façade inspections and repairs, misjudged a load-bearing column, leading to DOB’s evacuation order for the entire building. Subsequent extensive structural assessments and repairs allowed many families to return safely.
Koenigsberg’s agreement mandates a four-month business wind-down. While ongoing jobs require third-party peer review, completed inspections face heightened scrutiny from DOB engineers.
DOB has conducted audits on the 368 façade inspection reports submitted by Koenigsberg in 2023 to verify their accuracy. The findings of these audits have been relayed to the New York State Office of the Professions, which oversees state-licensed engineers, along with details of the current agreement.
Additionally, DOB is in the process of evaluating the existing regulations governing the qualifications of industry professionals conducting Local Law 11 façade inspections in NYC. This review aims to identify potential enhancements to registration requirements for private façade inspectors, prioritizing public safety.
Moreover, this agreement has been reached without resorting to a formal disciplinary hearing at the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings.
Source: DOB
