Late in the summer, workers finally removed the scaffolding from the under-renovation 356 E. Eighth St., a vacant, four-story townhouse between Avenue C and Avenue D.
This was the first known activity here since Dec. 24, 2015, when a worker fell three floors to his death inside the building.
Now, an EVG reader tells us that there is a tribute to the man, 33-year-old Luis Alberto Pomboza...
According to published reports, he was an undocumented Ecuadorian immigrant and father of five who lived in Brooklyn.
His death prompted Mayor de Blasio and Department of Buildings Commissioner Rick Chandler to announce in February 2016 that they were going to quadruple the penalties for serious construction-safety lapses, conduct a wave of more than 1,500 enforcement sweeps, and require new supervision at construction sites citywide to protect workers and the public amid the building boom.
A construction superintendent was to be present at 356 E. Eighth St. at the time of Pomboza's fall, but there wasn't one on site.
No. 356 had been on and off the market in recent years (here and here). The listings pitched the space for "high-end apartments or a luxury home."
In the fall of 2015, there were approved work permits showing that the building would receive two new floors and a mezzanine.
After Pomboza's death, the DOB issued a stop work order and a full vacate order on the site. Ten different violations were reportedly uncovered at the worksite, including "failure to safeguard all persons and property affected by construction operations."
In June, the full stop order was lifted just for "installation of temporary bracing."
The owner is listed as Ingrid House LLC, per public records.
No word on what the plans are for the building now moving forward.
Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Reader report: Partial building collapse on East 8th Street; unconfirmed report of a fatality
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