March 2008 Manhattan construction crane collapse
Encyclopedia
On March 15, 2008, a crane owned by New York Crane & Equipment
collapsed at 303 East 51st Street
on 51st Street
in Manhattan
, New York
, United States
. Seven people were killed and 24 others were injured. It was a luffing-jib tower crane manufactured by Favco
that was 200 feet tall at the time of the collapse. The accident occurred when workers were attaching a new steel collar to anchor it to the building at the 18th floor, as part of an operation to extend the crane upwards. Investigators say the prime suspect is a $50 piece of nylon that broke while lifting a six ton piece of steel.
The owner of Crave Ceviche Bar sued the owner of his building on 2nd Avenue because of their plans to demolish the building due to damage from the crane. The building owner claimed that the damage was irreparable and must be demolished in order to rebuild. Crave’s owner hired real estate attorney, Adam Leitman Bailey
to represent him in this matter. Bailey eventually forced a settlement of over $1 million, allowing the owner to continue business by giving him the chance to open in a different location.
301 East 50th Street/944 2nd Avenue. This is a 6-story residential building with 20 dwelling units and commercial use at the street level. Portions of the roof and top two floors have collapsed due to the crane mast hitting this building.
305 East 50th Street. This was a 4-story mixed-use building with 4 dwelling units and commercial use at the street level. This building has completely collapsed.
306 East 50th Street. This is a 3-story mixed-use building with 3 dwelling units. A steel beam from the crane penetrated this building and caused damage to the middle of the building.
308 East 50th Street. This is a 5-story residential building with 3 dwelling units. The same steel beam that damaged 306 East 50th Street from the crane penetrated this building and caused damage to the side the building.
311 East 50th Street. This is a 14-story residential building with 111 dwelling units. There are some small holes in the western foundation wall which is adjacent to 305 East 50th Street which are allowing water to seep into basement. At this time, DOB inspectors have not noted any structural damage to this building.
954 2nd Avenue. This is a 4-story mixed-use building with 6 residential units and commercial space at the street level. This rear of this building sustained damaged.
New York Crane & Equipment
New York Crane & Equipment Corporation owns and operates construction cranes in the New York area. It is based at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.- March 2008 crane collapse :...
collapsed at 303 East 51st Street
303 East 51st Street
303 East 51st Street is a skyscraper currently on-hold status in the Turtle Bay neighborhood in New York, New York. The residential building is planned to rise with 44 floors...
on 51st Street
51st Street (Manhattan)
51st Street is a long one-way street traveling east to west across Midtown Manhattan.-East 51st Street:*The route officially begins at Beekman Place which is on a hill overlooking FDR Drive...
in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Seven people were killed and 24 others were injured. It was a luffing-jib tower crane manufactured by Favco
Favelle Favco Group
Favelle Favco Group is a manufacturer of construction cranes under the brands Favelle Favco and Kroll. It is based in Malaysia, with manufacturing facilities in Australia and the United States....
that was 200 feet tall at the time of the collapse. The accident occurred when workers were attaching a new steel collar to anchor it to the building at the 18th floor, as part of an operation to extend the crane upwards. Investigators say the prime suspect is a $50 piece of nylon that broke while lifting a six ton piece of steel.
The owner of Crave Ceviche Bar sued the owner of his building on 2nd Avenue because of their plans to demolish the building due to damage from the crane. The building owner claimed that the damage was irreparable and must be demolished in order to rebuild. Crave’s owner hired real estate attorney, Adam Leitman Bailey
Adam Leitman Bailey
Adam Leitman Bailey is an American lawyer who practices residential and commercial real estate law in New York and New Jersey as senior partner and founder of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. in New York City...
to represent him in this matter. Bailey eventually forced a settlement of over $1 million, allowing the owner to continue business by giving him the chance to open in a different location.
Deaths
- Wayne Bleidner, 51, of PelhamPelham (town), New YorkPelham is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 12,396. Historically, Pelham was composed of five villages and became known as "the Pelhams"...
- Clifford Canzona, 45, of New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
- Brad Cohen, 54, of FarmingdaleFarmingdale, New YorkThe Village of Farmingdale is an incorporated village on Long Island within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York in the United States...
- Santino Gallone, 37 of Huntington Station
- Anthony Mazza, 39, of Staten IslandStaten IslandStaten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
- Aaron Stephens, 45, of New York City
- Odin Torres, 28, of Miami
Damaged Buildings
300 East 51st Street/956 2nd Avenue. This is a 19-story mixed use building with 119 dwelling units and commercial use at the street level. A small portion of the 13th and 14th (top floors) at the north east corner of the building have collapsed where the crane mast came in contact with the building.301 East 50th Street/944 2nd Avenue. This is a 6-story residential building with 20 dwelling units and commercial use at the street level. Portions of the roof and top two floors have collapsed due to the crane mast hitting this building.
305 East 50th Street. This was a 4-story mixed-use building with 4 dwelling units and commercial use at the street level. This building has completely collapsed.
306 East 50th Street. This is a 3-story mixed-use building with 3 dwelling units. A steel beam from the crane penetrated this building and caused damage to the middle of the building.
308 East 50th Street. This is a 5-story residential building with 3 dwelling units. The same steel beam that damaged 306 East 50th Street from the crane penetrated this building and caused damage to the side the building.
311 East 50th Street. This is a 14-story residential building with 111 dwelling units. There are some small holes in the western foundation wall which is adjacent to 305 East 50th Street which are allowing water to seep into basement. At this time, DOB inspectors have not noted any structural damage to this building.
954 2nd Avenue. This is a 4-story mixed-use building with 6 residential units and commercial space at the street level. This rear of this building sustained damaged.
Evacuated Buildings
- 301 East 50th Street/944 2nd Avenue. This is a 6-story residential building with 20 dwelling units and commercial use at the street level.
- 306 East 50th Street. This is a 3-story mixed-use building with 3 dwelling units and commercial use at the street level.
- 308 East 50th Street. This is a 5-story residential building with 3 dwelling units.
- 310 East 50th Street. This is a 3-story residential building with 1 dwelling unit.
- 311 East 50th Street. This is a 14-story residential building with 111 dwelling units.
- 300 East 51st Street/956 2nd Avenue. This is a 19-story mixed use building with 119 dwelling units and commercial use at the street level.
- 306 East 51st Street. This is a 4-story residential building with 1 dwelling unit.
- 308 East 51st Street. This is a 5-story residential building with 3 dwelling units.
- 310 East 51st Street. This is a 5-story residential building with 5 dwelling units.
- 311 East 51st street. This is a 4-story residential building with 7 dwelling units.
- 312 East 51st Street. This is a 5-story residential building with 5 dwelling units.
- 314 East 51st Street. This is a 5-story residential building with 5 dwelling units.
- 318 East 51st Street. This is a 3-story residential building with 1 dwelling unit.
- 320 East 51st Street. This is a 2-story residential building with 1 dwelling unit.
- 322 East 51st Street. This is a 3-story residential building with 2 dwelling units.
- 324 East 51st Street. This is a 1-story residential building with 2 dwelling units.
- 954 2nd Avenue. This is a 4-story mixed-use building with 6 residential units and commercial space at the street level.
Street closures
- East 56th through East 53rd Streets, closed to cross-town traffic
- Second Avenue between East 57th and East 48th Streets
- East 51st Street and E 50th Street between First and Third Avenue remain closed