WORLD WORLDWIDE US New York NY New York City NYC thecity THE CITY News Journal Update - THE CITY SCOOP: Is the City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission Responsible for a Worker’s Death?

 

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If you know anyone who might like this newsletter, send it to them. If this was sent to you by someone else, subscribe here — it's free!  Dear New Yorkers, Just before 10 a.m. on Oct. 21, 2019, the sound of a thunderclap followed by screams erupted from 60 Norfolk St. in the Lower East Side.  An unstable brick wall of a synagogue ruined by fire had just collapsed on top of two laborers working at the site. Stanislaw Supinski, 62, was crushed to death. His co-worker, Waldemar Klimaszewski, 56, was seriously injured. Records have since surfaced revealing that city bureaucrats rejected multiple dire warnings red-flagging the walls at that site as potential hazards to workers and the public. A review of those records by THE CITY places the city Landmarks Preservation Commission at the center of the incident. The commission required as much of the synagogue’s fragile facade as possible to be preserved, despite the recommendation from two engineering firms — including the commission’s own — that the entire structure be demolished. The engineer and the demolition firm hired by the synagogue both repeatedly pushed the city Department of Buildings (DOB) to override Landmarks’ directive and order total demolition, but DOB rejected that position until after the fatal collapse. “The landmark commission was not created to kill people,” said an attorney hired by Supinski’s family. “It was created to preserve architectural history, but not at a cost to human life. In many cases I think they put preservation over people’s lives.” Read more here. Some other items of note: Last week’s heat wave added another layer of stress to the city’s shelter system, which is already stretched beyond capacity. Officials say at least 107,300 people are in city shelters, more than half of whom are asylum-seekers. Reports emerged of terribly hot migrants’ shelters with poor or little air conditioning, while advocates sounded the alarm that city officials were denying arriving migrants shelter — in apparent violation of the city’s longstanding right to shelter. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is giving $20,000 grants to each of 10 community groups that applied for funding for youth programs aimed at tamping down gun violence. The groups, operating in seven neighborhoods and 11 public housing projects, will work on a variety of initiatives. Some will train teens as community activists focused not only on gun violence but also on environmental and voting campaigns. Others will lead financial literacy or therapy sessions. Collectively, they are projected to involve about 100 young people in communities where Bragg’s office identified shooting hotspots. Do you have questions about preparing for climate change and extreme weather in New York City? Join THE CITY at our next Open Newsroom event on Thursday, Aug. 3, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Queens Public Library’s central branch. A panel of experts will be there to answer your questions. Can’t make it? We got you. Email your questions to ask@thecity.nyc with “CLIMATE” in the subject line and we’ll send answers. You can also share your stories and photos with the team here. Hey, Scoop subscribers: We’re a small nonprofit newsroom and could use your help in figuring out how best to serve you. Your insights aid our mission in helping New Yorkers across the five boroughs engage in civic life. Consider taking our 10-minute survey — and helping shape the future of our newsroom. As an added incentive, we’re giving a $100 gift card for Bluestockings Cooperative Bookstore to one respondent. For the latest local numbers on COVID-19 hospitalizations, positivity rates and more, check our coronavirus tracker.  Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Monday's Weather Rating: 9/10. Another gorgeous day! After some isolated morning showers, we'll clear out with high temperatures in the lower 80s. Dew points remain very comfortable for this time of year with a nice breeze, too. The vibes are very good out there today! Things To Do Here’s what’s going on around the city this week. Tuesday, Aug. 1: An outdoor film screening of “Guardians of the Galaxy” at Van Cortlandt Park, The Bronx. Music begins at 7 p.m., movie-themed crafts begin at 7:30 p.m., and the movie starts at last light. Free.  Friday, Aug. 4: Singer-songwriter Indigo De Souza performs in the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! concert series with opener Vundabar. Lena Horne Bandshell, Prospect Park. Doors open 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. Free. Sunday, Aug. 6: Last day to catch the Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park production of “Hamlet” at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Ticket information here. Free. THE KICKER: If you — like many of us — are still without tickets to Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour stop at MetLife, here’s a recap of one of this weekend’s shows. Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Monday. Love, THE CITY P.S. If you liked something about today's newsletter, or didn't, let us know at zshah@thecity.nyc

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