THE DOB INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT THE COLLAPSE AT 1915 BILLINGSLEY TERRACE WAS PRIMARILY CAUSED BY THE UNSAFE REMOVAL OF A LOAD-BEARING MASONRY PIER ON THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE BUILDING THAT WAS HOLDING UP THE CORNER OF THE BUILDING, PERFORMED BY CONTRACTORS WHO FAILED TO INSTALL TEMPORARY STRUCTURAL SHORING BEFORE THE REMOVAL OF THE LOAD-BEARING MASONRY PIER
THE DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS IS CREATING A NEW ENFORCEMENT UNIT FOCUSED ON INSPECTING BUILDINGS THAT HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO FALL INTO DISREPAIR
“We are deeply disturbed by the findings of the Department of Buildings report, which revealed that the tragic collapse of 1915 Billingsley Terrace in December of 2023 resulted from a “mistake” by licensed construction professionals. This error has forever traumatized a community and could have led to the loss of innocent lives. This tragedy is a stark reminder that mistakes in the design and construction of our buildings have real, devastating consequences. The safety of our residents must always be the highest priority, and we cannot afford to let such negligence go unchecked.”
“As we continue to process the impact of this incident, we will continue to work closely with our colleagues in government and agency partners to ensure an incident like this never happens again in our borough. We are advocating for stronger safeguards, more rigorous oversight, sufficient staffing for the Department of Buildings, and a commitment to accountability so that the safety and well-being of our communities are never compromised. While we are grateful that there were no fatalities, we must use this incident as a moment of purpose to improve our inspection process to ensure the safety and well-being of our residents and families.”
“We are also deeply thankful for our elected officials and housing advocates who supported families during this period of displacement and relocation.”
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