In recent weeks you've likely seen the extensive sidewalk bridge(s) weave around the buildings on the Village View property.
Well, get used to it — it promises to be there for quite some time.
Village View, which opened in 1964 as a a Mitchell-Lama co-op, consists of seven buildings with more than 1,200 residential units between First Avenue and Avenue A, from Second Street to Sixth Street.
An EVG reader who lives in Village View shared this posted information about what's happening on the property...
[Click for more details]
Local Law 11, or the Façade Inspection Safety Program, requires that owners of buildings with more than six stories above grade have their exterior walls and appurtenances inspected periodically. The last report here was filed on Feb. 21.
As the notice to residents states:
"The findings of the report were that many balconies have cracks and pieces of concrete sticking out and when the concrete is tapped, it becomes dislodged and falls out. There is also a lot of visible cracking from the underside of balconies. As a result of these findings all seven Village View buildings were filed as 'Unsafe.' This means that we are required to put up scaffolding around the five remaining buildings as soon as possible. (Buildings 6 and 7 already have scaffolding.)"
Bottom line: "Local Law 11 is likely to cost Village View an estimated $3.5 million and will take all of 2019 and 2020 to complete the work."
Previously on EV Grieve:
Village View ends talk of privatization (for now)
Two years - the building where Blink is on Avenue A took less time to put up.
ReplyDeleteHeard the work is not supposed to start until the end of the summer -
so why is the scaffolding being put up now, which costs VV tenants money.
And ! Why is there scaffolding where there are no balconies ?
The Empire State Building took two years to build. Speaking of scaffolding, how long has the scaffold at 106 Ave. B (at Houston St.)been there? The scaffold at 57 2nd Ave. has been up a long time. Someone in that building told me the land lord put it up just to harass the tenants. There are others in the EV that have been up a long time. EV = Blightsville.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of annoyances, did anyone hear the LOUD music coming from a car on Ave. B yesterday about 2:15? It turned east at 4th Street.
It was the loudest music I've ever heard, even louder than the guy in Tompkins Square Park. As they say, there should be a law.
The scaffolding has been put up so that the bars come across the benches on the interior area around the playgrounds. Too bad residents won't be able to sit outside all summer.
ReplyDeleteI was told it is to protect passersby below in case things fall.
ReplyDelete@7:56am: @10L18am is absolutely correct - the scaffolding is there to prevent anyone from being injured by anything that might fall. Liability prevention.
ReplyDelete"The Empire State Building took two years to build."
ReplyDeleteOr less. There's general agreement that construction started on March 17, 1930 and on May 1, 1931 the lights were officially turned on by Pres. Hoover.
A friend of mine lives in Chelsea and her coop building will get scaffolding soon. I believe the building must secure a contractor to inspect the facade, repair damaged brick or other masonry elements and check the mortar on the entire facade. I don't think the contractors always show up the day the scaffolds do and things can drag out due to the quantity of buildings above 6 stories in our city.
ReplyDeleteWell, maybe - but the scaffolding is so far from the building in places -
ReplyDeletemore like it would fall down on the groundskeepers and maintenance people first.
Regardless - two years !
Two years of scaffolding !
Local Law 11 is required (by the City of course) to take place at least every 5 years--it is likely that where the scaffolding is placed is also dictated by the city--after the physical examination takes place a written report (whether or not repairs are necessary) is required to be submitted by an architect or engineer to then be reviewed by the City--the length of time given these and all the other requirements seems pretty much about right (especially as the City moves at its own special pace).
ReplyDeleteLocal law, scaffolding placement - all may be very true, some people are rightfully skeptical because a few years back, there was scaffolding also for a very long time - yet no one ever saw any work done also the lobbies took a few years to finish,
ReplyDeleteand the work was shoddy.
Tenants did not know what the previous scaffolding was for, no workers milling about anywhere, it was just there for a very long time.
This is awful. Besides sitting out there myself, one of my favorite things in the summer was coming back and seeing the 'Village View social club', so to speak, hanging out and enjoying the sun. This is a serious issue for all Village View residents, but it is particularly awful for the older people who enjoy so much of the summer out there with friends.
ReplyDeleteFolks, this community is being destroyed. Wake up. Unless you are luxury you are pond scum. The scaffolds on 2nd and 6th St have been up for years and there is NEVER any work being done there. We can't use our roofs anymore, unless you have a luxury building.
ReplyDelete@9:19pm: Any chance the benches (at least some of them) could be moved so that people will still have the opportunity to sit out in nice weather & visit with friends?
ReplyDelete