I like to keep this blog light. However I can’t not address this miserable, senseless tragedy which unfortunately happens too often in New York City where outdoor space is a highly desired commodity that you pay a premium for. In this case, the young lady paid with her life.
I’ve rented clients apartments in Stonehenge 57. They’re clean, nicely renovated and amply sized by NYC standards. But that’s the interior. What we don’t think about is what’s happening on the outside of these buildings. When you’re living in mid-rises (like this one), skyscrapers, or townhouses often it’s what’s on the outside that really matters and is most often neglected by landlords.
According to ABC news, every five years landlords are supposed to file mandatory inspection reports on the safety of their balconies and terraces and some 800 owners FAILED TO DO SO!” Why? Because it’s a bureaucratic pain in the ass, costly and disruptive. Remember folks, these are landlords with deep pockets so in other words it comes down to being cheap, lazy and grossly irresponsible.
Another neglected exterior issue in pre-war buildings’ like Stonehenge 57 is “brick repointing“. Most pre-war buildings are made of brick and mortar. Every few years landlords are supposed to have them “repointed” (they rarely do). This is the process of renewing the pointing (the external part of mortar joints) in masonry construction. Over time, weathering and decay cause voids in the joints between the bricks allowing the troublesome entrance of water. Water entering through these voids can cause tremendous damage and weakens the building’s exterior.
I had my own experience with repointing years ago when I lived on the 35th floor of a “luxury” rental high-rise in Murray Hill. That summer I traveled to Europe for a week and upon my return found my apartment flooded with 3″ of water, my parquet floors buckled and my rugs and furniture saturated. I was perplexed. How could a 35th floor apartment flood?! Well, while I was away, NY had high winds and rain which came right through the walls of my apartment and several others. We found out later that the landlord never had the building re-pointed as he should have years before. Thankfully no one was hurt, the apartments were eventually repaired and life went on as usual. Tragically that’s not the case for this young woman and her family.