A façade collapse across multiple buildings in the Bronx’s Van Cortlandt Village section on this week yielded zero injuries, according to city officials, but still did considerable damage.
The FDNY received a call at around 2 p.m. on June 20 about a partial parapet collapse from multiple one-story taxpayer buildings located at 3614-3640 Bailey Ave. just south of Van Cortlandt Park. A parapet is a low protective wall around the edge of a roof, bridge, platform or balcony. In this case, the wall that collapsed extended out from the roof of the buildings on the block.
According to David Maggiotto, deputy press secretary for the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB), officials observed an estimated 70-foot section of the parapet had fallen onto the sidewalk. In a photo at the scene after the tumble, brick and cement cover the majority of the walkway — which had been blocked off to pedestrians.
There had been one open violation at the location from 2008 related to the Certificate of Occupancy, and “additional” others for failure to file annual boiler inspection reports, Maggiotto said.
The June 20 parapet collapse was slightly less dire than a January 150-foot retaining wall collapse in Tremont, which prompted officials to fully vacate three residencies. That crumble damaged five residential buildings and three commercial properties on the same block.
Maggiotto said Con Edison had cut services to the affected buildings after this week’s parapet collapse, and the FDNY was on site removing debris and re-routing pedestrians. The investigation into the collapse is ongoing.
Reach Camille Botello at cbotello@schnepsmedia.com. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
