She walked down the stairs of the five-story tenement that’s been home for the past 18 years but was stymied upon reaching the second floor landing. The problem? The staircase leading to the ground level was gone.
Renovations have been ongoing for the past couple of months. A notice posted in the lobby warned tenants that “repairs to the stairways” would begin Monday morning and continue through the week. “We strongly suggest that you stay out of the building during this time frame,” the notice read. But Gomes was more than a little surprised to learn the stairs had been completely ripped out.
The FDNY eventually arrived on the scene. She couldn't use the fire escape because the FDNY deemed it unsafe. Eventually the FDNY used a cherry picker and lowered her from a fourth-floor window. There's more, which you can read here.
According to the DOB, Ben Shaoul is the building's owner, The Lo-Down noted.
10 comments:
This is hysterical. I cant believe it actually happened, sounds like something out of a sitcom...
No stairs to the ground floor plus unsafe fire escape = death trap. Of course, the fines are nothing more than a slap on the wrist to a developer with deep pockets.
And the arrogance to tell people to stay elsewhere while repairs are made is infuriating.
DOB should also inspect the apartments that were converted as they were probably done without permits or contrary to approved plans which is the norm in Westbrook, Shaoul buildings.
i am wondering if Rosie Mendez or The Cooper Square Committee could get an investigation of all of the Magnum buildings as all of the apartments and and construction of the commercial spaces have been done without permits or illegally done with permits. Lots of violations that have been overlooked.
The apartments violate the certificate of occupancy in most cases if not all and many other violations. No vents in kitchens. Illegl heating and cooling units, illegal bedroom conversions with no windows....
So if you can't live in your apartment during the renovations to the building, where exactly are you supposed to go?
Ughh. Ben Shaoul again. If we could distill the faceless crushing of east village life it would be this dollar-eyed zombie. The guy is a menace.
This is a technique of monster landlords, and is nothing new.
Its way past time for tenants to stop being delicate victims and to learn what their rights are.
BTW, this is not hysterical,
and we do NOT live in a sitcom.
If any of you do, please leave the neighborhood. Now.
Agreed that this is not funny at all and Ben Shaoul is a complete menace. How does he get away with this shit? At this rate karma will get him before any useless housing authorities do.
Another Westbrook building on a very busy corner recently had its intercom ripped out and front door demolished by workers. Residents were told a new glass door was being installed. The old door was put up with some drywall surrounding it. This was almost two weeks ago -- no new door. The intercom button panel went back up, but it is non-functional. Worst of all, the door has no lock whatsoever.
Stairs, stairs? My buildings don't need any stinking stairs!
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