Day 1 recap of the 2nd Avenue gas explosion trial; opening statements and emotional testimony from Nicholas Figueroa's father

[CBS 2 at 119 2nd Avenue via Steven]

Opening statements were made during Day 1 of the trial yesterday of landlord Maria Hrynenko, contractor Dilber Kukic and unlicensed plumber Jerry Ioannidis in Manhattan Supreme Court on Centre Street.

The three have been charged with manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide for the March 2015 explosion at 121 Second Ave. that killed two men and injured nearly two dozen people. They illegally tampered with the gas line at No. 121, where the restaurant Sushi Park was the retail tenant, then failed to warn those in the building before the blast, according to the Manhattan District Attorney's office.

Here's The Wall Street Journal:

“There was a virtual bomb lurking beneath,” Assistant District Attorney Randolph Clarke Jr. told a jury during opening statements.

“All it took was 23 minutes to cause all this damage and destruction,” Mr. Clarke, the prosecutor, told the jury. He said the defendants’ actions were motivated by financial greed and a desire to rent the newly renovated apartments.

Lawyers for the defendants said their clients weren’t responsible for the blast.

“This is a tragic accident,” said Michael Burke, a lawyer for Ms. Hrynenko. He said his client was an inexperienced landlord who tried to do things right and hire the right people.

Marc Agnifilo, a lawyer for Mr. Kukic, said evidence suggested the fire could have started in the kitchen of Sushi Park and not in the adjacent basement. He said there wasn’t enough evidence to prove prosecutors’ theory of the case.

A lawyer for Mr. Ioannidis, Roger Blank, told the jury that Sushi Park had a history of gas issues in its kitchen.

Nixon Figueroa, the father of Nicholas Figueroa, one of two men who died that March 26, 2015, took the stand. The Post has his emotional testimony:

[He] recalled how his wife waited nearly three agonizing days after the March 26, 2015, blast to learn that the body of their 23-year-old son was recovered from the rubble.

“That’s the day I died,” said the 56-year-old, choking up. “I have a picture of my son’s face in the moment when he’s flying through the air and the anguish that he had and the pain when he knew he wasn’t coming back…it broke my heart.”

You can also read recaps at the Daily News and The Daily Mail.

And via the local TV stations: CBS 2 ... PIX 11 ... NBC 4 ... and ABC 7.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Updated: 2nd Ave. explosion — landlord, 3 others charged with 2nd degree manslaughter; showed 'a blatant and callous disregard for human life'

RIP Nicholas Figueroa

RIP Moises Ismael Locón Yac

A family continues to feel the loss on 2nd Avenue

Exclusive: 2nd Avenue explosion sites have a new owner

Dedicating Moises Locón Way and Nicholas Figueroa Way on 2nd Avenue at 7th Street

Jury selection starts for defendants in 2nd Avenue gas explosion that killed 2 men

Updated: Sidewalk bridge collapses at explosion site on 2nd Avenue; box truck culprit, witnesses say

[Photos by Steven]

The recently erected sidewalk bridge on Second Avenue at Seventh Street collapsed this afternoon around 4:20, according to witnesses.



Updated: Workers on the scene said that the collapse occurred after a box truck collided with the sidewalk bridge. (One EVG reader said that a car had cut off the truck, causing it to swerve and collide with the sidewalk bridge.) There aren't any reports of injuries, which is amazing given the time of day on a nice spring afternoon. (Last summer and early fall, this was the site of a traveler-crustie camp site that led to tabloid headlines.)





Work started in January here on a seven-floor residential building with 21 condo units and ground-floor retail. Work had recently reached the second floor.

An explosion — due to an illegal gas system — on March 26, 2015, leveled three buildings, killing two men and injuring more than 20 others. The landlord of the former 119 and 121 Second Ave. and two others are still awaiting a trial date.

Thanks to Steven for the photos from the scene. And to Edmund John Dunn for an early alert about the collapse.

Updated 5/11

Workers have replaced the sidewalk bridge...

2nd Avenue gas-explosion defendants due back in court June 21

[Photo of 119 2nd Ave. from Friday]

On Friday, we noted how quickly the 7-story condoplex was rising at 119 Second Ave. at Seventh Street, site of the deadly gas explosion on March 26, 2015.

The work, which started in January, is moving along much more quickly than the legal case against the defendants.

The previous owner of 119 and 121 Second Ave., Maria Hrynenko, was due back in New York County Criminal Court on Friday. As in the previous 25 appearances, the outcome was the same since the first appearance in February 2016 — "adjourned/bail continued."



Hrynenko, her son Michael Hrynenko (now deceased), contractor Dilber Kukic and their plumber Anthanasios Ioannidis illegally tampered with the gas line at 121 Second Ave. then failed to warn those in the building before the blast, according to the Manhattan District Attorney.

Charges against Hrynenko, Kukic and Ioannidis include second-degree manslaughter. All three are due back in court on June 21, according to public records.

In March, the fifth defendant, Andrew Trombettas, was sentenced to probation and community service. Trombettas had previously pleaded guilty for his role in rubber-stamping a modification to 121 Second Ave. prior to the explosion that killed two men and injured 20 others on March 26, 2015. The D.A.'s office charged him with two counts of "Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a class E felony."

Shaky Cohen's Nexus Building Development Group, Inc., paid $9.15 million in June 2017 for the lots at 119 and 121 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Remembering Nicholas and Moises: the Figueroa family marks the 4-year anniversary of the 2nd Avenue gas explosion

2nd Ave. explosion — landlord, 3 others charged with 2nd degree manslaughter; showed 'a blatant and callous disregard for human life'

Remembering Nicholas and Moises: the Figueroa family marks the 4-year anniversary of the 2nd Avenue gas explosion

Today marks the fourth anniversary of the gas explosion that killed two men, injured more than 20 others, and leveled 119, 121 and 123 Second Ave.

Members of the Figueroa family gathered on the corner of Second Avenue and Seventh Street today to remember their brother and son Nicholas Figueroa, 23, who died on March 26, 2105, along with Moises Locón, 27.


[Top photos by Steven]

Figueroa, who had recently graduated from SUNY Buffalo State, was at Sushi Park, 121 Second Ave. and the site of the fatal blast, dining with a co-worker. Locón worked at Sushi Park.


[Photo by Lola Sáenz]

The previous owner of 119 and 121 Second Ave., Maria Hrynenko, her son Michael Hrynenko (now deceased), contractor Dilber Kukic and their plumber Anthanasios Ioannidis illegally tampered with the gas line at 121 Second Ave. then failed to warn those in the building before the blast, according to the Manhattan District Attorney.

According to public records, Hrynenko and the other defendants will appear in court again April 26. Records show that Hrynenko and the other accused have appeared in New York County Criminal Court 25 times since February 2016... and the outcome was the same — "adjourned/bail continued" — since their initial appearance.

On March 20, Andrew Trombettas, the plumber indicted in connection to the explosion, was sentenced to probation and community service. He reportedly signed off on required paperwork that went to the Department of Buildings and Con Edison because a friend who actually did the job did not have a license.

Meanwhile, work continues on the retail-residential complex coming to part of the blast site. The new building will include a commemorative plaque that honors Locón and Figueroa.


[Photo by Lola Sáenz]

Previously on EV Grieve:
RIP Nicholas Figueroa

RIP Moises Ismael Locón Yac

A memorial on 2nd Avenue

Birthday wishes for Nicholas Figueroa on 2nd Avenue

A family continues to feel the loss on 2nd Avenue

Dedicating Moises Locón Way and Nicholas Figueroa Way on 2nd Avenue at 7th Street

Report: Probation for plumber indicted in deadly 2nd Avenue gas explosion

[Aerial photo of 119-123 2nd Ave. from March 27, 2015]

According to the Daily News, Andrew Trombettas, the plumber indicted in connection to the deadly Second Avenue gas explosion in March 2015, was sentenced to probation and community service yesterday.

Trombettas had previously pleaded guilty for his role in rubber-stamping a modification to 121 Second Ave. prior to the explosion that killed two men and injured 20 others on March 26, 2015.

In February 2016, the D.A.'s office charged him with two counts of "Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a class E felony."

Per the News:

He was promised a sentence of three years probation and 100 hours of community service in a plea deal made in Manhattan Supreme Court.

The plumber signed off on required paperwork that went to the city Department of Buildings and Con Edison because a friend who actually did the job did not have a license. Trombettas never went to the site.

In February 2016, the Post reported that Trombettas signed off on 19 other jobs that violated regulations.

The previous owner of 119 and 121 Second Ave., Maria Hrynenko, her son Michael Hrynenko (now deceased), contractor Dilber Kukic and their plumber Anthanasios Ioannidis illegally tampered with the gas line then failed to warn those in the building before the blast, according to the Manhattan District Attorney.

According to public records, Hrynenko and the other defendants will appear in court again tomorrow (March 22). Records show that Hrynenko and the other accused have appeared in New York County Criminal Court 23 times since February 2016... and the outcome was the same — "adjourned/bail continued" — since their initial appearance. There's also a new judge presiding, Michael J. Obus of the State Supreme Court in Manhattan. Justice Kirke Bartley had been the judge of record.

Meanwhile, work is quickly moving along on the condoplex coming to part of the blast site. Here's a look at the lot that will house a Morris Adjmi-designed residential building with 21 condos and ground-floor retail...





The new building will include a commemorative plaque that honors Moises Locón and Nicholas Figueroa, the men who died on on March 26, 2015.

Shaky Cohen's Nexus Building Development Group paid $9.15 million for the empty lots. In a previously recorded transaction, Ezra Wibowo paid $6 million for the adjacent property at 123 Second Ave. There isn't any development planned there for now, according to previous reports.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Updated: 2nd Ave. explosion — landlord, 3 others charged with 2nd degree manslaughter; showed 'a blatant and callous disregard for human life'

Report: Judge says plumber allegedly involved in 2nd Ave. blast should have his license revoked

Exclusive: 2nd Avenue explosion sites have a new owner

Dedicating Moises Locón Way and Nicholas Figueroa Way on 2nd Avenue at 7th Street

Plywood arrives on 7th Street and 2nd Avenue; excavation expected in 2 weeks

Workers yesterday finished erecting the plywood around the empty lot on the northwest corner of Seventh Street and Second Avenue, the site of the deadly gas explosion that leveled the three buildings here in March 2015.



A worker on the scene told EVG correspondent Steven that the excavation for the new 7-story condoplex will commence in about two weeks...



The Morris Adjmi-designed residential building with 21 condos and ground-floor retail will include a commemorative plaque that honors Moises Locón and Nicholas Figueroa, the men who died in the gas explosion on this site.

My previous post at this link has more about defendants and their latest court date.

Meanwhile, the other lot here, the former 123 Second Ave., remains inactive. That lot sold for $6 million in the fall of 2016, and the new owner has said he's not in any hurry to develop the property.

Shaky Cohen's Nexus Building Development Group paid $9.15 million in June 2017 for what was 119 and 121 Second Ave.

1st signs of the construction to come at the 2nd Avenue explosion site

A jackhammer crew has started to break up the sidewalk this morning on Second Avenue at Seventh Street ... where there are approved plans (as of Dec. 27 by the city) to build a 7-story condoplex on this corner.

The Morris Adjmi-designed residential building with 21 condos and ground-floor retail will include a commemorative plaque that honors Moises Locón and Nicholas Figueroa, the men who died in the gas explosion on this site on March 26, 2015.

Shaky Cohen's Nexus Building Development Group paid $9.15 million for the empty lots.

The previous owner of 119 and 121 Second Ave., Maria Hrynenko, her son Michael Hrynenko (now deceased), contractor Dilber Kukic and their plumber Anthanasios Ioannidis illegally tampered with the gas line then failed to warn those in the building before the blast, according to the Manhattan District Attorney.

According to public records, Hrynenko and the other defendants will appear in court again on March 21. Records show that Hrynenko and the other accused have appeared in New York County Criminal Court 23 times since February 2016... and the outcome was the same — "adjourned/bail continued" — since their initial appearance. There's also a new judge presiding, Michael J. Obus of the State Supreme Court in Manhattan. Justice Kirke Bartley had been the judge of record.

Updated 2:30 p.m.

WIP via Steven...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: 2nd Avenue explosion sites have a new owner

Dedicating Moises Locón Way and Nicholas Figueroa Way on 2nd Avenue at 7th Street

Soil testing underway at the 2nd Avenue explosion site

[Updated] The makeshift memorials at the 2nd Avenue gas explosion site have been removed

[Photo from yesterday]

An EVG reader passed along word that the two makeshift memorials inside the empty lot on Second Avenue and Seventh Street were removed some time late on Tuesday.

It is not immediately known who took away the memorials for Moises Locón, 27, and Nicholas Figueroa, 23, the two men who died in the gas explosion here on March 26, 2015. The memorials first arrived in the fall of 2015, created by the Figueroa family.

-----

Updated 10:30 a.m.

An EVG reader shared this:

The Figueroa family removed the makeshift memorial. They were asked to because they were told construction on the site will start soon. They took the angels to Maple Grove Cemetery in Kew Gardens and placed them there.

In addition, EVG regular Lola Sāenz created this sign and placed it along the Second Avenue fence this morning...



-----

In early August, the development team behind the proposed 7-story condoplex at part of the explosion site (the former No. 119 and 121) received approval from the Landmarks Preservation Commission for a high-end residential building with ground-floor retail. (The new building will include a commemorative plaque that honors Locón and Figueroa.) However, the project is still waiting for final approval from the Department of Buildings.

Shaky Cohen's Nexus Building Development Group paid $9.15 million for the empty lots.

The owner of 121 Second Ave., Maria Hrynenko, her son Michael Hrynenko (now deceased), contractor Dilber Kukic and their plumber Anthanasios Ioannidis illegally tampered with the gas line then failed to warn those in the building before the blast, according to the Manhattan District Attorney.

According to public records, Hrynenko, who owned No. 119 and 121, and the other defendants will appear in court again on Jan. 8. Records show that Hrynenko and the other accused have appeared in New York County Criminal Court 21 times since February 2016... and the outcome was the same — "adjourned/bail continued" — since their initial appearance.

---



Above photo of Nicholas Figueroa's father tending to the memorials from October 2015 by James and Karla Murray. Posted with permission of the Figueroa family.

Previously on EV Grieve:
RIP Nicholas Figueroa

RIP Moises Ismael Locón Yac

A memorial on 2nd Avenue

Birthday wishes for Nicholas Figueroa on 2nd Avenue

A family continues to feel the loss on 2nd Avenue

Dedicating Moises Locón Way and Nicholas Figueroa Way on 2nd Avenue at 7th Street

2nd Avenue gas explosion defendants due back in court on Monday

There's another court date for Maria Hrynenko and three other people accused of manslaughter for the deadly explosion that destroyed three buildings at 119-123 Second Ave. in March 2015.

According to public records, Hrynenko, who owned No. 119 and 121, and the other three defendants will appear in court on Monday.



Records show that Hrynenko and the other accused have appeared in New York County Criminal Court 19 times since February 2016... and the outcome was the same — "adjourned/bail continued" — since their initial appearance...



To recap...In February 2016, Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance's office charged Hrynenko and four others with manslaughter and negligent homicide for their alleged role in the blast that killed two men and injured more than a dozen other people in the buildings between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

Vance's office charged Maria and her son, Michael Jr., along with contractor Dilber Kukic and plumber Jerry Ioannidis with manslaughter in the second degree, criminally negligent homicide and assault in the second degree, among other charges. (The final defendant, licensed plumber Andrew Trombettas, was charged with offering a false instrument​,​ for allegedly lending his name and license number to paperwork.)

The five were accused of installing an illegal gas system, which they hid from inspectors, at No. 119 and 121. All five pleaded not guilty.

An obituary posted last August at the Pizzi Funeral Home website stated that Michael Jr. died on Aug. 25, 2017. He was 31. A cause of death was not disclosed for Hrynenko, who was also called Mischou.

In early August, the development team behind the proposed 7-story condoplex at part of the explosion site (the former No. 119 and 121) received approval from the Landmarks Preservation Commission for a high-end residential building with ground-floor retail.

The new building will include a commemorative plaque that honors Moises Locón and Nicholas Figueroa, the men who died that March 26, 2015.

Shaky Cohen's Nexus Building Development Group paid $9.15 million for the empty lots.

The third site, which was not owned by Hrynenko, sold for $6 million in 2016, but there aren't any development plans for that property, 123 Second Ave., yet.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: 2nd Avenue explosion sites have a new owner

Dedicating Moises Locón Way and Nicholas Figueroa Way on 2nd Avenue at 7th Street

Soil testing underway at the 2nd Avenue explosion site

LPC OKs condoplex for gas explosion site on 2nd Avenue and 7th Street

[Rendering via Morris Adjmi]

The development team behind the proposed 7-story condoplex received approval from the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) yesterday for the empty lot at Second Avenue and Seventh Street — site of the deadly gas explosion in March 2015.

Last month, the LPC had a few suggestions for the Morris Adjmi-designed residential building with 21 condos and ground-floor retail. Chief among the asks: A commemorative plaque to be incorporated into the design that honors Moises Locón and Nicholas Figueroa, the men who died in the explosion.

Curbed has the report from yesterday:

The building’s facade is now a lot brighter than the previous iteration. In addition, the curvy corner windows have now disappeared and have now been replaced by the more traditional windows broken up by masonry that are more common to the East Village. In addition, Adjmi has also designed a plaque that would rest next to the retail space on the front facade of the building, facing Second Avenue.

The defendants in the case, including Maria Hrynenko, the former owner of No. 119 and 121, are due back in court on Sept. 6, according to court documents.



Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: 2nd Avenue explosion sites have a new owner

Dedicating Moises Locón Way and Nicholas Figueroa Way on 2nd Avenue at 7th Street

Soil testing underway at the 2nd Avenue explosion site

Report: LPC wants some revisions to the proposed condoplex for 2nd Avenue and 7th Street

The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) reviewed the proposal yesterday to erect a 7-story condoplex on the Second Avenue gas explosion site at Seventh Street.

The 21-unit conodplex with retail space reportedly isn't too far off from what the LPC will approve. Here's part of the coverage via 6sqft:

After reviewing the plans ... and deciding that the proposal is “close, but not quite there,” they’ve sent [architect Morros] Adjmi and Yaniv Shaky Cohen’s Nexus Building Development Group back to the drawing board over concerns regarding the windows, storefront, and coloring. Neighbors and those affected by the tragedy are also calling for a commemorative plaque to be incorporated into the design.

And about a way to commemorate the two men who died in the explosion — Moises Ismael Locon, 27, and Nicholas Figueroa, 23:

[T]he one thing everyone seemed to agree on is the necessity for a commemorative plaque. Adjmi said the owner originally considered a tree to serve as a marker, but the LPC would like to see him work with the community on this addition.

The lot sits within the the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District, and requires the LPC's approval to move forward.

Read more from yesterday at Curbed.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: 2nd Avenue explosion sites have a new owner

Dedicating Moises Locón Way and Nicholas Figueroa Way on 2nd Avenue at 7th Street

Soil testing underway at the 2nd Avenue explosion site

Here's the 1st look at the new building proposed for the 2nd Avenue explosion site

LPC to review condoplex proposal for 2nd Avenue gas explosion site

[Rendering via Morris Adjimi Architects]

During its weekly meeting today, the Landmarks Preservation Commission will review the proposal to erect a 7-story condoplex on the Second Avenue gas explosion site at Seventh Street.

As Curbed reported yesterday:

Presentation materials that will go before the LPC offer a glimpse at what [the developer] has planned for the structure: The building itself will rise 78 feet, though the bulkhead will take that up to just under 100 feet. The facade would be made from custom L-shaped bricks, cast stone, and corrugated zinc, all in muted shades of gray and beige. Some apartments would have corner exposures, and there would be one penthouse with roof access.

The Historic Districts Council has weighed in on the proposal, saying the building “could fit in quite well in the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District”; however, HDC takes issue with the corner windows, which they call “extremely out of place,” and the color of the cladding.

Last month, CB3 endorsed a resolution by its Landmarks Committee, as The Villager reported.

The committee’s recommendations also called on [architect] Morris Adjmi ... to create a "permanent, prominent bronze marker honoring those who died at the location" — Moises Ismael Locon, 27, and Nicholas Figueroa, 23 — and telling the story of the event, with review from Locon’s and Figueroa’s parents.

Shaky Cohen's Nexus Building Development Group filed plans in February for the development.

According to the Nexus website, 119-121 Second Ave. "is a high-end condominium building ... with seven floors including 21 apartments and a retail space. Residential units are one, two and three bedrooms."

Cohen paid $9.15 million for the empty lots at No. 119 and 121 between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

The defendants in the gas-explosion case, including Maria Hrynenko, the former owner of No. 119 and 121, are still waiting to go to trial.

According to The Villager last week:

A spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance, Jr., said the case had been "administratively adjourned" to July 27. There is currently no trial date set for Hrynenko and her three co-defendants.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: 2nd Avenue explosion sites have a new owner

Dedicating Moises Locón Way and Nicholas Figueroa Way on 2nd Avenue at 7th Street

Soil testing underway at the 2nd Avenue explosion site

Here's the 1st look at the new building proposed for the 2nd Avenue explosion site

Reminders tonight: CB3 presentation on the proposed condoplex for 119 2nd Ave.

Tonight, CB3's Landmarks Committee will review an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness for the new residential building proposed at 119-121 Second Ave. — the site of the deadly gas explosion site from March 2015.

You can read my previous post about the 7-story, 21-unit condoplex here.


[Rendering of 119-121 2nd Ave.]

Ahead of the meeting, amNew York asked Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP), for his thoughts on the structure, which would rise in the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District.

"It looks a little bit more like a new building on Bond Street or in SoHo than something that would necessarily make sense in an East Village historical district."

And...

"The proposed design doesn’t do anything to mark or reflect that there was this terrible disruption on this site before."

Berman believes there's a way to make "a nod or gesture to the tragic event."

CB3's Landmarks Committee hears the proposal before it eventually heads to the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission. The CB3 meeting starts at 6:30 tonight at Grace Church School, 46 Cooper Square. There will be time for public comment on the project...


[Photo by Dave on 7th]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: 2nd Avenue explosion sites have a new owner

Dedicating Moises Locón Way and Nicholas Figueroa Way on 2nd Avenue at 7th Street

Soil testing underway at the 2nd Avenue explosion site

Here's the 1st look at the new building proposed for the 2nd Avenue explosion site

Here's the 1st look at the new building proposed for the 2nd Avenue explosion site

This coming Monday, CB3's Landmarks Committee will review an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness for the new residential building proposed at 119-121 Second Ave. — the site of the deadly gas explosion site from March 2015.

Ahead of that meeting, CB3 has posted the 39-page application on its website. (PDF here.)

The materials include renderings via Morris Adjimi Architects of the proposed building...






[View from along 7th Street]

As previously reported, Shaky Cohen's Nexus Building Development Group filed plans in February for the development.

According to the Nexus website, 119-121 Second Ave. "is a high-end condominium building ... with seven floors including 21 apartments and a retail space. Residential units are one, two and three bedrooms."

Cohen paid $9.15 million for the empty lots at No. 119 and 121 between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

In a previously recorded transaction, Ezra Wibowo paid $6 million for the adjacent property at 123 Second Ave. A source told the Post in March 2017 that this was a long-term investment. "He’s not in a rush to build or develop."

The lot sits within the the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District. CB3's committee will hear the proposal before it eventually continues on to the Landmarks Preservation Commission. (The CB3 meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. on Monday at Grace Church School, 46 Cooper Square.)

The meeting notice arrived on the fence at the property yesterday...


[Photo by Chris Rowland]

Moises Locón Way and Nicholas Figueroa died in the explosion on March 26, 2015. The defendants in the case, including Maria Hrynenko, the former owner of No. 119 and 121, are expected to go to trial in September.

Previously.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: 2nd Avenue explosion sites have a new owner

Dedicating Moises Locón Way and Nicholas Figueroa Way on 2nd Avenue at 7th Street

Soil testing underway at the 2nd Avenue explosion site

Report: 2nd Avenue gas explosion trial to start in September

Three years after a gas explosion killed two men and leveled three buildings on Second Avenue at Seventh Street, the case will finally go to trial on Sept. 24, according to The Villager.

Per the paper: "Ahead of the projected trial date, both parties will suggest questions for jury selection on June 25, the judge on the case, Kirke Bartley said on Friday."

As previously reported in February 2016, Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance's office charged landlord Maria Hrynenko, her son, Michael Jr. Hrynenko (now deceased), along with contractor Dilber Kukic and plumber Jerry Ioannidis with manslaughter in the second degree, criminally negligent homicide and assault in the second degree, among other charges.

The final defendant, licensed plumber Andrew Trombettas, was charged with offering a false instrument​,​ for allegedly lending his name and license number to paperwork.

The five were accused of installing an illegal gas system, which they hid from inspectors, at 119 and 121 Second Ave. All five pleaded not guilty in 2016.

In February, Nexus Building Development Group filed plans to build a high-end condo at 119 Second Ave. Nexus paid $9.15 million for the empty lots at No. 119 and 121 between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place. Public records show that Maria Hrynenko's companies — MAH Realty and Kiev Realty — were the sellers.

Today is the 3rd anniversary of the deadly 2nd Avenue gas explosion

[Photo from Friday]

Here are a few of the key dates since March 26, 2015...

• February 2016 — Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance's office charges landlord Maria Hrynenko and four others with manslaughter and negligent homicide for their alleged role in the blast that killed two men and injured more than a dozen other people. There buildings — 119, 121 and 123 Second Ave. — were also destroyed.

Vance's office charged Hrynenko and her son, Michael Jr. Hrynenko, along with contractor Dilber Kukic and plumber Jerry Ioannidis with manslaughter in the second degree, criminally negligent homicide and assault in the second degree, among other charges. (The final defendant, licensed plumber Andrew Trombettas, was charged with offering a false instrument​,​ for allegedly lending his name and license number to paperwork.)

The five were accused of installing an illegal gas system, which they hid from inspectors, at 119 and 121 Second Ave. All five pleaded not guilty.

• September 2016 — 123 Second Ave. sells for $6.6 million.

• June 2017 — Hrynenko files a lawsuit, claiming that her management company was "careless and reckless" in its work. In the spring of 2015, as investigators focused on her actions, a lawyer for Hrynenko said that Con Edison bore responsibility for not shutting off the gas during the visit to the property earlier that day.

• June 2017 — Nexus pays $9.15 million for the empty lots at No. 119 and 121 between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place. Public records show that Maria Hrynenko's companies — MAH Realty and Kiev Realty — were the sellers.

• August 2017 — An obituary at the Pizzi Funeral Home website states that Michael Hrynenko Jr. died on Aug. 25. He was 31. A cause of death was not disclosed.

• October 2017 — City officials unveil the new street blades that co-name the northwest corner of Second Avenue and Seventh Street after Moises Locón, 27, and Nicholas Figueroa, 23, who died in the gas explosion.

• February 2018 — Nexus Building Development Group files plans to build a high-end condo at 119 Second Ave.

Postscript:

Hrynenko was expected to be back in court this past Friday. Records show that Hrynenko and the other accused have appeared in New York County Criminal Court 12 times since February 2016 with the same outcome — "adjourned/bail continued."

Report: Contractor charged in 2nd Avenue gas explosion illegally renovating Harlem apartments

[The former 119-123 2nd Ave. from Feb. 15]

Dilber Kukic, the contractor charged with manslaughter and negligent homicide in the March 2015 gas explosion on Second Avenue, is gut renovating four apartments at 303 W. 154th St. without permits, according to the New York Daily News.

Per the News:

“We have rented to almost everyone currently living in these properties and I am concerned for their safety,” whistleblower Jerry Leazer said.

Leazer worked as a broker for the six-floor, 54-unit building through his company, Apartments Expert, until last month.

“It’s a dangerous situation,” he said, adding he’d become concerned about legal liabilities due to the off-the-books renovations.

Leazer’s complaint says Kukic, 42, and other workers have removed walls and rewired the apartments without permits.

Kukic’s attorney, Marc Agnifilo, told the paper: "His probation officer knows. He’s allowed to work. As long as the company is licensed, my understanding is he can work there as an employee."

In an unrelated case in 2015, Kukic pleaded guilty to bribery, a felony, according to published reports at the time.

Per the Daily News: "He admitted to handing off $600 to an undercover officer in the investigator's car in an effort to get violations cleared from a pair of buildings he owns on W. 173rd St. on an expedited basis."

As for the Second Avenue case, Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance's office charged Kukic, landlord Maria Hrynenko and her son, Michael Hrynenko Jr., along with plumber Jerry Ioannidis, with manslaughter in the second degree, criminally negligent homicide and assault in the second degree.. (The final defendant, licensed plumber Andrew Trombettas, was charged with offering a false instrument​,​ for allegedly lending his name and license number to paperwork.)

Kukic is due back in court on March 23 — almost three years to the date since the explosion leveled 119-123 Second Ave.

Maria Hrynenko due back in court on March 23

[The former 119-123 2nd Ave.]

On Tuesday, Nexus Building Development Group filed plans to build a high-end condo at 121 Second Ave., where one of three buildings were destroyed in the deadly gas explosion in March 2015.

Last June, Nexus paid $9.15 million for the empty lots at No. 119 and 121 between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place. Public records show that Maria Hrynenko's companies — MAH Realty and Kiev Realty — were the sellers.

In February 2016, Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance's office charged Hrynenko and four others with manslaughter and negligent homicide for their alleged role in the blast that killed two men and injured more than a dozen other people.

News of the proposed condo prompted questions about the pending trial against Hrynenko and the others.

According to court documents, Hrynenko will be back in court on March 23 — almost three years to the date since the explosion leveled 119-123 Second Ave.

Records show that Hrynenko and the other accused have appeared in New York County Criminal Court 12 times since February 2016... the outcome was the same "adjourned/bail continued" ...



As previously reported, Hrynenko and her companies have been hit with at least 28 civil lawsuits.

Meanwhile, last June, Hrynenko filed a lawsuit, claiming that her management company was "careless and reckless" in its work. In the spring of 2015, as investigators focused on her actions, a lawyer for Hrynenko said that Con Edison bore responsibility for not shutting off the gas during the visit to the property earlier that day.

Vance's office charged Maria and her son, Michael Jr., along with contractor Dilber Kukic and plumber Jerry Ioannidis with manslaughter in the second degree, criminally negligent homicide and assault in the second degree, among other charges. (The final defendant, licensed plumber Andrew Trombettas, was charged with offering a false instrument​,​ for allegedly lending his name and license number to paperwork.)

The five were accused of installing an illegal gas system, which they hid from inspectors, at No. 119 and 121. All five pleaded not guilty.

An obituary posted last August at the Pizzi Funeral Home website stated that Michael Jr. died on Aug. 25. He was 31. A cause of death was not disclosed for Hrynenko, who was also called Mischou.

Kukic, Ioannidis and Trombettas will appear in court on March 23 with Maria Hrynenko.



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Read the previous coverage here.

Report: high-end condo in the works for 2nd Avenue explosion site

[EVG file photo]

Shaky Cohen's Nexus Building Development Group has filed plans to build a high-end condo at 121 Second Ave., where one of three buildings were destroyed in the deadly gas explosion in March 2015.

Nexus Building Development Group paid $9.15 million for the empty lots at No. 119 and 121 between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

As The Real Deal reported, Nexus reps filed a permit application with the DOB today. According to the permit, the building will feature 2,100 square feet for commercial use with 21,000 square feet for residences.

Here's how the Nexus site describes the project:

...121 Second Avenue is a high-end condominium building designed by Morris Adjami, with seven floors including 21 apartments and a retail space. Residential units are one, two and three bedrooms.

Size: 7 floors, 21 Residential units

Developer: Nexus Building Development Group in partnership with Immobiliare Capital and Premier Equities

Architect: Morris Adjimi Architects

Marketing and Sales: The Tavivian Team from Douglas Elliman

The permits list 119 as the address for the new building while the Nexus site lists the address as 121.

There aren't any renderings for the building just yet.



In a previously recorded transaction, Ezra Wibowo paid $6 million for the property at 123 Second Ave. A source told the Post last March that this was a long-term investment. "He’s not in a rush to build or develop."

Previously.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: 2nd Avenue explosion sites have a new owner

Dedicating Moises Locón Way and Nicholas Figueroa Way on 2nd Avenue at 7th Street

Soil testing underway at the 2nd Avenue explosion site

Garden expression

[Photo by Steven]

There's a message — Garden Here — on the eastern wall facing the empty lots where 119-123 Second Ave. used to stand at Seventh Street.

Likely wishful thinking. Late this past spring, Shaky Cohen's Nexus Building Development Group paid $9.15 million for 119 and 121 Second Ave. at Seventh Street. To date, there haven't been any new building permits filed with the city.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: 2nd Avenue explosion sites have a new owner

Dedicating Moises Locón Way and Nicholas Figueroa Way on 2nd Avenue at 7th Street