Tuesday, April 21, 2015

The Wall Street Journal on the ongoing issues at Icon Realty's 128 2nd Ave.



The Wall Street Journal checks in today with a piece on 128 Second Ave., the troubled building between East Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place owned by Icon Realty.

A few excerpts from the article by Rebecca Davis O'Brien:

Since the explosion, 128 Second Ave. has accrued 87 violations with the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, along with two additional violations and a stop-work order from the Department of Buildings, according to city records. The building has been without heat, hot water, or cooking gas for three weeks.



Residents of 128 Second Ave. say Icon has neglected the building, bullied rent-stabilized tenants and hired unqualified workers to do construction without permits. Icon denies the claims.

In court last Tuesday, Manhattan Housing Court Judge Cheryl Gonzales expressed impatience with Icon’s lawyer, who asked for 45 days and a “right of extension” to repair the boiler, citing aging infrastructure, warmer weather and lengthy waits for permits.

“People have to take showers every day,” Judge Gonzales said. “Make it work.”

Judge Gonzales also showed concern about the building’s 89 open violations with the Department of Housing Preservation and Development violations, including 58 the department considered “immediately hazardous” and must be fixed within 24 hours. The bulk of the violations relate to gas and deteriorated external fire escapes.

According to the article, the tenants and Icon and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development signed a consent decree: "fully restored gas and repaired fire escapes in 45 days, hot water within 24 hours, electric space heaters, and three days’ notice before any repairs in apartments. As of Monday afternoon, residents said they still had no hot water."

The article does not include any updated information on the Stage, which Icon recently served an eviction notice.

You can find the whole article here (subscription required)

Previously on EV Grieve:
The possibility that the Stage won't reopen on 2nd Avenue

City serves stop work order on Icon Realty-owned building for installing gas pipe without permit across from deadly 2nd Avenue blast zone (48 comments)

Petition to help reopen the Stage

Tenants at 128 2nd Ave. file suit against Icon Realty in housing court

Troubling talk about 128 Second Ave, and the long-term future of the Stage

[Updated] Report: Icon Realty serves the Stage an eviction notice

Stage owner Roman Diakun responds to allegations of illegally siphoning gas

Petition to help reopen the Stage

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Finally big media is paying attention to Icon's violations which are beyond tenants rights and could be considered human rights.

Anonymous said...

Icon is blaming Stage for the gas problem. Who is responsible for the other 87 violations mentioned in the article????

Elle Sturm said...

Any media attention given to slumlords and the disastrous state of nyc real estate is good with me.
I hope this type of coverage becomes a trend. I hope this is the tipping point.

Anonymous said...

I wales by there yesterday & there are 2 security guards in the doorway to the building. Nice touch Icon. I told them I hope they don't get the bad karma...

Anonymous said...

Again I would encourage people to go to DOB and research your own building you will be surprised what you find. Mine has open violations for years including several that deal with egress. DOB issues violations, the landlords pay the fines and they never correct anything. They know it and they chalk it up until someone gets hurt, or in the case of 2nd Avenue two young men die. I don't understand why the NY State DA or the Manhattan DA aren't taking action against Icon.

Anonymous said...

Yeah well keep supporting HOWL Arts Inc.- they have been sponsored by Icon and other landlords/developers- like Tower Brokerage for years now. Matter of fact the president of HOWL Arts Inc. is Bob Perl of Tower Brokerage. Read between the lines.

Anonymous said...

Glad to see the WSJ covering this issue and being fair about it.

Anonymous said...

Icon is so fucked up. I wish they would sell the building to a good landlord like mine and go away. Stop trying to take over the neighborhood if you don't respect it or the people. Karma is getting them for their disgusting behavior toward Stage, who straight SON them in longevity and humanity.

Anonymous said...

Icon routinely uses unqualified workers in its buildings, as far as I know. Everyone I have seen working in the Icon building on my block "no speak English" - and if you speak their language, they "don't know" anything about what they're doing or why they're there.

Glad to see the Wall Street Journal highlight what's going on at 128, and NYC and NYS should be investigating Icon and *all* its holdings in great detail.

nygrump said...

I saw everyone make a point to insult and degrade the "security" in front of the building.

Anonymous said...

I think you can read the full WSJ article for free here:

http://www.wsj.com/articles/troubles-in-building-across-from-blast-site-1429578060