WORLD WORLDWIDE USA New York NY New York City NYC the city THE CITY News Journal Update - Building collapse in The Bronx, budget clash at City Council hearing, Rikers solitary confinement bill nears vote

 

Dear New Yorkers,

A seven-story residential building in the Morris Heights section of The Bronx partially collapsed late yesterday afternoon.

A corner of the 46-unit building at 1915 Billingsley Terrace spontaneously collapsed just before 4 p.m., pancaking on the bodega at the ground level below and prompting a search-and-rescue mission.

Eyewitness photos and videos showed five units exposed — with residents’ beds, clothes and personal belongings spilling out through the twisted metal. Late on Monday, the FDNY posted on X that everyone inside the building had been evacuated, and the search for any potential victims was ongoing.

The building had raised flags for years. It was deemed “unsafe” by an engineering firm hired by the owner in February 2020, just before COVID-19 struck. Required repairs were then put on hold due to the pandemic, according to Building Department records.

When an engineering firm returned to the site in March 2021, nothing had been done. The conditions included vertical cracks at window sills, loose and damaged mortar, a bowed section of parapet, and cracks at the parapet’s interior, the records state.

Scaffolding was put in place, and the owners were ordered to draft plans to bring the facade up to code. Building Commissioner James Oddo said the owners had recently submitted these plans.

In early November, the building had also been cited by the city for “broken or deteriorated” support sills and fined $2,400.

Read more about what's known about the building's history here.

Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Tuesday's Weather Rating: 5/10. Chillier today, with high temperatures only reaching the lower 40s this afternoon. In better news, we've got lots of sunshine and a much lighter breeze throughout the day. Grab that winter jacket, but the vibes are all right out there!

Our Other Top Stories

New York City’s budget director, Jacques Jiha, was grilled Tuesday by the City Council over recent cuts by Mayor Eric Adams. Jiha testified that increased spending on asylum seekers between June and November widened a projected $5 billion gap to more than $7 billion, requiring the city to make more cuts in the middle of the budget year. But Council Speaker Adrienne Adams pushed back on the administration’s contention that the city’s financial woes are due to the migrants, saying “many factors” had contributed. The mayor’s cuts are widely unpopular with New Yorkers, with 83% of voters saying they are concerned the reduced spending will impact their own lives. Nearly two years after it was first introduced, a bill banning solitary confinement at Rikers is nearing a City Council vote. Multiple sources familiar with the legislation say that Speaker Adrienne Adams is negotiating with Mayor Eric Adams and his team on a deal that would work for all sides, including people with safety concerns. Advocates supporting the solitary ban are upset over the ongoing delay and want city lawmakers to vote on the bill at the upcoming Dec. 20 City Council meeting.  On the latest episode of FAQ NYC, hosts Katie Honan, Christina Greer and Harry Siegel discuss Mayor Eric Adams’ uphill fight in battling the rumor mill along with his dismal poll numbers.

Reporter’s Notebook

Chain Store Apocalypse

The number of chain stores in New York City dropped by 3% over the past year to about 7,700 as national retailers continue to cope with the increase in online shopping, according to the annual survey released Tuesday by the Center for an Urban Future. The decline was the second largest since CUF began the survey in 2008.

The number of chain stores, which CUF estimates amount to at least a quarter of all retail establishments, is now 14% below the 2019 pre-pandemic level. The biggest losses have come in Manhattan, where a net loss of 545 lost outlets represents an 18% decline from 2019.

For the fifth year in a row, pharmacies, cell phone stores and clothing retailers continued to shed the most outlets. Food outlets, on the other hand, have continued to expand but not enough to offset the declines from traditional retailers.

Hardest hit are workers of color who account for seven of every 10 retail employees in the city. The sector’s struggles are a key reason for the city’s sky high Black unemployment rate of 9.5% compared to just 2.6% for white workers.

— Greg David

Things To Do

Here’s what’s going on around the city this week.

Tuesday, Dec. 12: Virtual Rat Academy, an online class hosted by the city Department of Health for community gardeners to learn about pest control. Free from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14: Cocktails & Culture at the Museum of the City of New York, an evening event for adults with music from DJ tres dos and food by La Fonda NYC. Free with museum admission at 6 p.m.  Saturday, Dec. 16-Sunday, Dec. 17: The Social Justice Holiday Market, featuring politically conscious gifts from lots of vendors. From 12 to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 3 to 7 p.m. on Sunday at Mayday Space in Brooklyn.

THE KICKER: Along with the usual bodega fare, an Upper West Side deli is now also serving comedy shows in an upstairs performance space, reports West Side Rag.

Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Tuesday.

Love,

THE CITY

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