2023 New York City parking garage collapse explained
2023 New York City parking garage collapse |
Date: | April 18, 2023 |
Time: | ~4 p.m. |
Timezone: | EDT |
Location: | 57 Ann Street, Manhattan, New York City, United States |
Type: | Structural collapse |
Fatalities: | 1 |
Injuries: | 5 |
A parking garage building partially collapsed in the Financial District of Manhattan in New York City, United States, on April 18, 2023, at around 4 p.m. EDT. The parking garage collapse at 57 Ann Street resulted in one death, five injuries, and the evacuation of neighboring buildings. In the aftermath of the collapse, local residents were displaced, and the New York City government began requiring examinations of parking garages across the city.
Background
The building, located at 57 Ann Street in New York City's Financial District, was built in 1925. Both in 1926 and 1957, it was granted certificates of occupancy to operate as a garage holding "more than five" automobiles per level and for ten people to be on a floor at a time.[1] The 1957 certificate mandated that the roof was only to hold "passenger-car type" vehicles.[2] The New York City Sheriff's Office parked vehicles at the garage.[3]
The building had received multiple building violations since 1957. In 2003, the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) found concrete defects in the stairs, along with cracks in the first-floor ceiling, spalling concrete, steel beams with missing concrete coverings, and defective concrete with exposed cracks.[4] In 2009, broken stairs and loose concrete was noted in numerous areas of the parking garage. The DOB found in 2011 "that the permitted repair work was ongoing and that the interior maintenance of the building was in good condition".[4] In 2013, improper exit door issues were also noted.[5] The DOB commissioner stated that there was also an application for work on the building in 2010 for the automobile lift, however the open violations were not addressed during the application. Overall, 19 violations were completed or defaulted and an additional four open which required a certificate of correction. The DOB issued 64 building-code violations to the garage's owner, 57 Ann Street Realty Association, between 1976 and 2023.[6]
Prior to the collapse, there were no recent permits for construction at 57 Ann Street.[7] Under a local law that required building inspections for all garages citywide by 2027, the DOB had been scheduled to inspect the garage before the end of 2023. Despite several previous nonfatal parking-garage collapses in New York City, regulation of the city's parking garages had generally been lax, and regular inspections of the city's garages had not been required until 2022.[8]
Collapse
The second floor of the parking garage partially collapsed onto the first floor at around 4 p.m. EDT on April 18, 2023.[9] [10] The collapse killed the garage's 59-year-old manager, Willis Moore.[11] [12] Initially, five people were reported injured, one of whom refused medical treatment.[13] Local TV station WPIX later reported that seven workers had been injured, including the worker who had declined treatment.[14]
Videos online showed numerous cars piled on top of each other.[15] Students attending nearby classes at Pace University heard "a large noise and a big rumbling" and similar effects of an earthquake, along with screams during the collapse.[16] [17] Shaking and vibrations were also noted in the collapse area.[18]
Response
The New York City Police Department (NYPD) and the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) assisted with evacuations and assistance.[19] The Digidog, a robotic dog by Boston Dynamics, was deployed, along with a drone and tower ladders; it was the first time the FDNY used the Digidog in a structural collapse.[20] [21] Pace University canceled classes at their New York City campus and evacuated two university buildings.[22] Several New York City Subway services had to run at slower speeds while emergency crews responded to the collapse.[23] New York City mayor Eric Adams called the building "completely unstable" as he visited the collapse site,[24] and at one point the FDNY withdrew its personnel due to the unsafe building conditions.[25] A street was blocked off due to fears that the buckled facade would collapse onto the street. Emergency services assisted people who were trapped inside the parking garage.[26] According to local media sources, initial findings attributed the age of the structure and an excess number of vehicles on the roof of the structure as contributing causes to the collapse.
Moore's body was retrieved the day after the collapse.[12] Following the collapse, the building was scheduled to be razed via controlled demolition.[27] [28] [29] Although some sources said there had been between 80 and 90 vehicles in the garage just before it collapsed,[30] the FDNY estimated that there had been about 40 cars in the building. On April 20, cranes began demolishing the remains of the garage. Also to be demolished was a connected parking garage at 25 Beekman Street.[1] Demolition was temporarily delayed due to concerns that the work would trigger a secondary collapse. The rear of the garage partially collapsed on April 29, 2023, while it was being demolished.[31]
After the collapse, the DOB issued full or partial vacate orders to occupants of six buildings.[32] A neighboring Pace University building at 161 William Street was also deemed unstable; Pace closed the building for the rest of its spring semester while the party wall between the garage and Pace's building was shored up.[33] [34] The adjoining block of Ann Street was closed for several months, displacing residents of that block.[35] [36]
New York City building inspectors conducted inspections of parking structures across the city. In late April, four additional garages in Manhattan and Brooklyn were closed[37] [38] for posing "an immediate threat to public safety".[39] One engineer indicated that the garage-inspection process could have saved lives if it had occurred earlier. Several dozen garages with similar problems to the garage at 57 Ann Street had been identified by May 2023.[40] In November, the discovery of similar structural issues at another garage overlying Amtrak's West Side Line in Manhattan led to disruption of the Empire Service.[41] [42] In early 2024, the city government hired a structural engineer to investigate the collapse.[43]
Notes and References
- Web site: Brachfeld . Ben . Lower Manhattan garage had history of violations for 'loose,' 'defective' concrete; will be demolished . AM New York Metro . 19 April 2023 . 19 April 2023 . April 19, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230419200706/https://www.amny.com/new-york/manhattan/neighborhoods/downtown/lower-manhattan-garage-had-history-of-violations-for-loose-defective-concrete-will-be-demolished/ . live.
- Web site: Madani . Doha . Deadly garage collapse in New York City due to building's nearly 100-year-old age, too many vehicles on roof . NBC News . April 19, 2023 . en . April 19, 2023 . April 19, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230419185139/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/deadly-garage-collapse-new-york-city-likely-due-buildings-nearly-100-y-rcna80454 . live.
- Web site: Miller . Myles . Glorioso . Chris . Vazquez . Jennifer . Shea . Tom . Millman . Jennifer . Shocking Footage Reviewed in Deadly NYC Parking Garage Collapse, Source Says . April 19, 2023 . NBC New York . April 19, 2023 . en-US . April 19, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230419114936/https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nyc-parking-garage-collapse-ann-street-closed-as-investigators-probe-manhattan-building-case/4255084/ . live.
- News: McGeehan . Patrick . Meko . Hurubie . April 19, 2023 . Garage That Collapsed, Killing One, Was Due for Inspection This Year . en-US . The New York Times . April 22, 2023 . 0362-4331. April 21, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230421142355/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/19/nyregion/nyc-garage-collapse.html. live.
- Web site: Glorioso . Chris . Could Building Violations Have Led to Manhattan Garage Collapse? . April 19, 2023 . NBC New York . April 19, 2023 . en-US . April 19, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230419024322/https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/could-building-violations-have-caused-deadly-nyc-parking-garage-collapse/4252738/ . live.
- Web site: Wallace . Danielle . April 19, 2023 . NYC deadly parking garage collapse: Building had 4 active violations, cause of 'pancaked' structure unclear . April 19, 2023 . Fox News . en-US . April 19, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230419133821/https://www.foxnews.com/us/nyc-deadly-parking-garage-collapse-building-4-active-violations-cause-pancaked-structure-unclear . live.
- Web site: April 19, 2023 . 1 person is dead after a parking garage collapses in New York City . NPR . April 19, 2023 . April 19, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230419134120/https://www.npr.org/2023/04/19/1170799492/parking-garage-collapses-in-new-york-city . live.
- News: Chan . Wilfred . 2023-04-28 . ‘An inspection could have saved lives’: race to check buildings after New York garage collapse . en-GB . The Guardian . 2023-11-18 . 0261-3077.
- Web site: Zanger . Jesse . Reid . Alecia . April 18, 2023 . 1 dead, 5 injured in NYC parking garage collapse in Lower Manhattan; Pace University evacuates nearby buildings . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230418220540/https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/lower-manhattan-parking-garage-collapse/ . April 18, 2023 . April 18, 2023 . CBS News . en-US.
- News: April 18, 2023 . One killed in parking garage collapse in New York City's Financial District . en-GB . The Guardian . April 18, 2023 . 0261-3077 . April 18, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230418221119/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/apr/18/parking-ramp-collapses-in-downtown-new-york-citys-financial-district . live.
- Web site: Miles . Darla . April 19, 2023 . NYC parking garage collapse: Neighbors remember Willis Moore, victim believed dead in collapse . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230422233522/https://abc7ny.com/nyc-parking-garage-collapse-ann-street-victim-willis-moore/13155809/ . April 22, 2023 . April 22, 2023 . ABC7 New York.
- Web site: Miller . Myles . Calavan . Bobby Caina . Millman . Jennifer . April 20, 2023 . Body Recovered From Manhattan Garage Collapse Rubble; Controlled Demolition Underway . April 22, 2023 . NBC New York . April 21, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230421125703/https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/body-recovered-from-garage-collapse-in-lower-manhattan/4258977/ . live.
- Web site: April 18, 2023 . 1 dead, multiple injured in parking garage collapse in Lower Manhattan . April 18, 2023 . ABC7 New York . en . April 18, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230418222004/https://abc7ny.com/parking-garage-collapse-financial-district-lower-manhattan-ann-street/13150286/ . live.
- Web site: Ford . James . April 20, 2023 . Victim's body recovered in Manhattan parking garage collapse; demolition underway . April 22, 2023 . PIX11 . April 21, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230421125814/https://pix11.com/news/local-news/manhattan/victims-body-recovered-in-manhattan-parking-garage-collapse-demolition-underway/ . live.
- Web site: Hoogensen . Finn . Euzarraga . Matthew . Cook . Lauren . Rosoff . Henry . Dow . Jay . April 18, 2023 . 1 dead, 4 injured in parking garage collapse in Lower Manhattan: officials . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230418222002/https://pix11.com/news/local-news/manhattan/parking-garage-collapses-in-lower-manhattan/ . April 18, 2023 . April 18, 2023 . PIX11 . en-US.
- Web site: April 18, 2023 . New video shows devastation after NYC parking garage collapse; 1 death reported . April 18, 2023 . 6abc Philadelphia . en . April 18, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230418214202/https://6abc.com/new-york-city-parking-garage-collapse-ann-street-live-updates/13150520/ . live.
- Web site: Shaffrey . Ted . Calvan . Bobby Caina . Peltz . Jennifer . April 18, 2023 . 'Like an earthquake': Parking garage falls in NYC, killing 1 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230418220933/https://apnews.com/article/new-york-parking-garage-collapse-manhattan-9e80d7d42657e33910685dedbaa4a71e . April 18, 2023 . April 18, 2023 . AP NEWS . en.
- News: Shanahan . Ed . April 18, 2023 . One Dead in Parking Garage Collapse in Lower Manhattan . en-US . The New York Times . live . limited . April 18, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230427214102/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/18/nyregion/nyc-parking-garage-collapse.html . April 27, 2023 . 0362-4331.
- Web site: Gonella . Catalina . Corso . Phil . Br . David . April 18, 2023 . 1 dead after parking garage partially collapses in Lower Manhattan, per FDNY . April 18, 2023 . Gothamist . en . April 27, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230427214044/https://gothamist.com/news/parking-garage-partially-collapses-in-lower-manhattan . live.
- Web site: Meet NYC's New Robot Cops . April 12, 2023 . May 5, 2023 . April 20, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230420124530/https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/04/meet-nycs-new-robot-cops.html . live .
- Web site: George . Alexandra . April 18, 2023 . Manhattan parking garage collapse: FDNY deployed robotic Dalmatian dog to survey unstable building . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230423124952/https://abc7ny.com/robot-dog-digidog-drones-parking-garage-collapse/13150919/ . April 23, 2023 . April 24, 2023 . ABC7 New York.
- Web site: Finn Hoogensen . Addy Bink . April 18, 2023 . One killed, five injured after parking garage collapses in Lower Manhattan . April 18, 2023 . The Hill . en-US . April 18, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230418231651/https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/3957461-parking-garage-collapses-in-lower-manhattan-reports-of-people-trapped-inside/ . live.
- Web site: April 18, 2023 . Lower Manhattan parking garage collapse leaves 1 dead, 5 injured . April 18, 2023 . FOX 5 NY . en-US . April 18, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230418222002/https://www.fox5ny.com/news/parking-garage-ann-street-collapse-lower-manhattan . live.
- News: Akinnibi . Fola . Nahmias . Laura . April 18, 2023 . NYC Parking Garage Collapse in Financial District Kills One . en . Bloomberg . live . April 18, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230419004233/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-18/new-york-city-parking-garage-in-financial-district-collapses . April 19, 2023.
- Web site: Santucci . Jeanine . Ortiz . Jorge L. . April 18, 2023 . One dead, four hospitalized after NYC parking garage collapses in Manhattan's financial district . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230418222943/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/04/18/one-dead-four-hospitalized-after-nyc-parking-garage-collapses/11690611002/ . April 18, 2023 . April 18, 2023 . USA TODAY . en-US.
- Web site: Burke . Kerry . Parascandola . Rocco . Fisher . Janon . Gartland . Michael . Moynihan . Ellen . April 18, 2023 . One person killed, five others injured in parking garage collapse in lower Manhattan on Ann Street . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230418213915/https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-nassau-street-ann-street-building-traffic-delays-building-collapse-20230418-mabkjsq4mbdjncsmkmtgbix7lu-story.html . April 18, 2023 . April 18, 2023 . New York Daily News.
- Web site: Parker . Harry . Tracy . Thomas . Gartland . Michael . Moynihan . Ellen . April 19, 2023 . 'Controlled demolition' now planned for collapsed lower Manhattan parking garage that killed one . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230419152912/https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/ny-controlled-demolition-parking-garage-collapse-lower-manhattan-20230419-ovs2ecfhybdzrgkeiaauk56ri4-story.html . April 19, 2023 . April 19, 2023 . New York Daily News.
- Web site: NYC parking garage collapse: Demolition of Lower Manhattan structure delayed due to fears of secondary collapses . ABC7 New York . April 21, 2023 . April 22, 2023 . April 22, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230422063117/https://abc7ny.com/parking-garage-collapse-nyc-pace-university-ann-st/13163855/ . live.
- Web site: Moore . Jessica . Bauman . Ali . Westbrook . Elijah . April 20, 2023 . Cleanup begins after deadly NYC parking garage collapse in Lower Manhattan . April 22, 2023 . CBS News . April 22, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230422233522/https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/investigators-say-parking-garages-age-weight-of-cars-on-roof-contributed-to-structures-demise/ . live.
- Web site: Moses . Dean . April 20, 2023 . Parking garage collapse: Demolition continues in Financial District after victim pulled from rubble . April 22, 2023 . amNewYork . April 21, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230421125058/https://www.amny.com/news/parking-garage-collapse-financial-district-victim-pulled-rubble/ . live.
- Web site: Secondary collapse reported at site of deadly Lower Manhattan parking garage collapse . CBS News . April 30, 2023 . May 1, 2023 . May 1, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230501002153/https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/lower-manhattan-parking-garage-collapse-secondary-collapse/ . live .
- Web site: Gartland . Michael . April 21, 2023 . Unclear if Ann Street garage collapse caused by SUVs on building roof, say NYC officials; disaster still under investigation . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230424161417/https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/new-york-elections-government/ny-garage-collapse-57-ann-street-joseph-esposito-buildings-department-phil-banks-20230421-o4cvjl2lyvhy5jdkmcdirabdmy-story.html . April 24, 2023 . April 24, 2023 . New York Daily News.
- Web site: April 24, 2023 . NYC parking garage collapse: Pace University building next door closes for spring semester . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230424160844/https://abc7ny.com/nyc-parking-garage-collapse-pace-university-lower-manhattan/13180122/ . April 24, 2023 . April 24, 2023 . ABC7 New York.
- Web site: Bamberger . Cayla . April 21, 2023 . Garage collapse in lower Manhattan shutters Pace University building for spring semester . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230424080130/https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/ny-garage-collapse-shutters-pace-university-building-for-spring-semester-20230421-ks4j5c6furfkbiogbp6agtojzm-story.html . April 24, 2023 . April 24, 2023 . New York Daily News.
- Web site: Chi'en . Arthur . August 16, 2023 . Lower Manhattan neighborhood still struggling after parking garage collapse . November 18, 2023 . FOX 5 New York.
- Web site: McNicholas . Tim . August 9, 2023 . Nearly 4 months after Lower Manhattan parking garage collapse, some neighbors are still displaced . November 18, 2023 . CBS New York.
- Web site: Tracy . Thomas . NYC officials order garage shutdowns in enforcement sweep that followed deadly Manhattan collapse . New York Daily News . April 29, 2023 . May 1, 2023 . May 1, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230501002153/https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/ny-city-officials-issue-partial-total-shutdowns-four-parking-garages-wake-20230429-gnlmnulrqffdjd5meljnzeajn4-story.html . live .
- Web site: NYC parking garage collapse: 4 other structures shut down amid enforcement sweeps . ABC7 New York . April 28, 2023 . May 1, 2023 . May 1, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230501002154/https://abc7ny.com/nyc-parking-garage-collapse-demolition-cleanup-crew/13191874/ . live .
- Web site: Millman . Jennifer . Miller . Myles . NYC Shutters Additional Parking Garages in Wake of Deadly Manhattan Collapse . NBC New York . 30 April 2023 . April 29, 2023 . May 3, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230503213855/https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nyc-shutters-additional-parking-garages-in-wake-of-deadly-manhattan-collapse/4287611/ . live .
- News: McGeehan . Patrick . Elkeurti . Asmaa . 2023-05-15 . A Crumbling New York Garage Collapsed. Dozens More Have Similar Problems. . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-11-18 . 0362-4331.
- News: Haag . Matthew . Mather . Victor . 2023-11-13 . N.Y. Area Amtrak Service Paused Over Problems With Garage Above Tracks . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-11-18 . 0362-4331.
- Web site: 2023-11-13 . Amtrak service suspensions continue due to structural issues inside NYC parking garage . 2023-11-18 . Fox 5 New York . en-US.
- Web site: Leggate . James . NYC Hires Engineer LERA for Parking Garage Collapse Probe . Engineering News-Record . January 4, 2024 . March 15, 2024.