The city yesterday removed the remaining barricades on Second Avenue south of the blast site… so the sidewalk on the west side of the Avenue is now open up to Seventh Street … making it easier to visit the storefronts along here, like New Yorkers Foodmarket and Moishe's Bake Shop, which happens to be closed for the holiday until Sunday.
[Photo yesterday by Derek Berg]
As Crain's reported, the maze of barricades and fire trucks in the days after the deadly explosion on March 26 cut business by 50 percent at New Yorkers Foodmarket, according to owner Michael Schumacher.
The south side of Seventh Street at Second Avenue is now open to pedestrian traffic as well. The building on the corner, No. 117, is also owned by Maria Hrynenko, who is at the center of an investigation over an illegally tapped gas line at 121 Second Ave., where an explosion at Sushi Park killed two men and injured more than 20 people.
She is also the landlord of the adjacent building at 119 Second Ave., which collapsed in the ensuing fire.
With the barriers gone around No. 117, a Stop Work Order dated March 27 is now visible…
[No. 117 photos yesterday by EVG reader Ryan]
No. 117 had been going under extensive renovations in recent years, as we reported here.
According to DOB records, there's a complaint on file for a "gas meter installed in a prohibited location" (dated March 28) and "installation of two new gas boilers and gas piping" without a permit (dated yesterday).
As several media outlets have reported, Hrynenko inherited 117, 119 (aka 45 E. Seventh St.) and 121 Second Ave. from her husband Michael, who died in 2004. He operated the Kiev, the popular diner at No. 117 from 1978 to 1990.
The corner space is now home to San Marzano, which remains closed.
The Post reported yesterday that investigators have "six prime suspects" in the blast at 121 Second Ave.: Maria Hrynenko, her son Michael Jr., contractor Dilber Kukic as well as an unidentified subcontractor and two workers.
Per the Post: "In addition to murder — which carries a maximum 25 years to life in the slammer — other charges said to be under consideration include second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide."
Hrynenko is also the owner of 46 E. Seventh St. and 96 Second Ave., though through different companies, according to The Wall Street Journal. Per the Journal: "Both buildings have complaints with the Department of Buildings dated April 8, citing a need to verify compliance for the plumbing system, and both were cited by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development in February for failing to register with the department."
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For further reading: Landlord Of Destroyed East Village Apartments "Didn't Know Any Better" (Gothamist)
There were two DHCR judgements against Michael Hrynenko (Senior)
ReplyDelete1988: 45 East 7th Ave
http://tenant.net/DHCR/pars/pars04/CB410130RO.html
1991: 29 St Marks Place
http://tenant.net/DHCR/pars/pars11/FJ410278RO.html
Sorry, that should be 45 East 7th Street
ReplyDeleteSan Marzano seems to have been the first business to have success in that space since Kiev was run into the ground and closed - their under $10 price for entrees certainly responsible - that corner is being opened up by NYPD, at least this morning it was clear..
ReplyDeleteso basically she's made a mess of every building she owns.
ReplyDeleteYeah So basically she is making a mess to convert rent-stabilized buildings systematically. Run the full sentence. You end up at the bank.
ReplyDeleteSo can the residents of her other buildings petition the court to place a custodian in charge of these properties? Someone who would be charged with the task of making the necessary repairs to make the buildings safe.
ReplyDeleteAs a resident of one of her buildings, I would very much like an answer to that question. The inmates are running the asylum over here. We can't even confirm that our building has been inspected. God knows what she's got jacked up in the basement.
ReplyDeleteHere in my EV building, we have a not dissimilar problem: no gas since Thanksgiving 2014, Con Ed came and inspected, shut it off, gave conflicting information about the meters (they need to be moved/they're grandfathered in, whatever). Gas is still off, no inspections, landlord used unlicensed crew, always ordered us to contact him and not the city (just like Hrynenko!), never had permits for the work done.
ReplyDeleteNeedless to say, we're totally panicked and still have no idea when, if ever, we are getting as back. But I want the landlord nailed for the no permits and apparent attempts to sneak around the DOB. Bastards, all of them.