www.qns.com APRIL 22, 2022 4RIDGEWOOD TIMES
‘Take our safety seriously!’
Local leaders call for city to stop Ridgewood Tower development following tragic death of construction worker
BY JULIA MORO
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
State Senator Jessica Ramos, local leaders
and nearly 40 community members
gathered to call on the Department of
Buildings (DOB) to completely revoke the
construction permit for the Ridgewood
Tower development at 3-50 St. Nicholas Ave.
after a worker fatally fell down an elevator
shaft earlier this month.
On April 6, Holger Molino, 45, slipped on
a beam while moving a board of plywood
when he fell down an approximately 20-foot
hole into the basement below. He was immediately
transported to Wyckoff Hospital
where he was pronounced dead shortly after.
In the months leading up to this fatal incident,
DOB issued a total of eight violations
regarding safety conditions at the Ridgewood
construction site. These violations
could total thousands of dollars in fines for
the developer, AB Capstone, pending an Office
of Administrative Trials and Hearings
investigation.
One violation issued in March cited a “failure
to institute/maintain safety measures
resulting in worker injury due to inadequate
housekeeping at time of inspection.”
DOB revealed in an email to local leaders
that an inspector reported there were no
safety measures in place to safeguard workers
from a potential fall.
The DOB issued a full stop work order
after the death of Molino in early April and
will not lift it until the construction site is
deemed safe for workers. DOB has said that
they will be conducting random bi-weekly
inspections to ensure safety standards are
met.
However, Ramos and local leaders are not
satisfied with this outcome, demanding the
DOB completely halt the construction and
turn the property over to the community.
“It frustrates me so much that the real
estate industry in this city, in this state, continuously
sees Latinos as disposable,” Ramos
said. “As if we only exist to make them rich.”
DOB is considering potential enforcement
action pending the results of ongoing joint
investigations.
“Last week’s tragic construction-related
death is completely unacceptable, and we are
actively looking into the circumstances surrounding
this fatality,” DOB spokesperson
State Senator Jessica Ramos shares the community’s anger over the loss of
life at the Ridgewood Towers site due to alleged negligence on the part of the
developer. Photo by Julia Moro
Andrew Rudansky said. “Directly following
the fatal fall, we issued a full stop work order
at the site and launched a comprehensive
investigation along with our partners in law
enforcement. We are aware of the concerns
of the rally organizers, and have agreed to
meet with them to discuss these concerns
further.”
The Ridgewood Tenants Union (RTU), a
local advocacy group leading this fight, also
wants the DOB to hold a public meeting on
the steps taken to enforce workplace safety
before any new construction permits are
approved — although the group hopes there
won’t be.
“There are way too many bad developers,”
Ramos said. “If the DOB is listening, we need
you to stop AB Capstone. Stop this project.
Stop any project where workers are getting
hurt and take our safety seriously.”
RTU leader, Raquel Namuche, also called
on the DOB to increase fines for negligent
construction employers, whose unsafe practices
cause deaths. Ultimately, the group is
hoping the building will be transferred over
to community control.
“We don’t just want AB Capstone to get
their permit revoked; we want this land,”
Namuche said. “And we’re going to fight for
that, for Holger and his family.”
The family of Molino sent the community
leaders a statement in support of their movement
to shut down construction.
“The family is totally devastated,” the statement
said. “You don’t know how hard these
children cry for their father. There are no
words to describe how much they need their
father. We need justice, not only for Holger,
but for every worker and for Latino workers
who do not have enough protections.”
The family revealed that they have not
heard from the development company, AB
Capstone, or anyone involved with the site.
“We have not received one call from the
company,” read the statement on behalf of
the family. “Not even to ask if we are OK or
if we need anything. Not even Holger’s boss
called to say ‘I’m sorry.’”
A GoFundMe was made to help with
funeral costs. Over $8,000 has been raised
toward the $30,000 goal.
If construction resumes, the building is
set to stand 17 stories high, making it the
tallest in the area. The mixed-use building
would be used for retail and residential
spaces.
Ted Renz, the executive director of the
Myrtle Avenue Business Improvement
District, said that this accident was a tragedy.
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic
accident and loss of life at this construction
site,” Renz said. “This is a major development
in the Myrtle Avenue Business
Improvement District that will bring major
retail and new housing opportunities to the
community. There are commitments from
Burlington and Target that will go into that
site. We can only wait for the final decision
after the investigation will play out.”
Ridgewood resident Josephine Gurch
said that the development never fit into the
community in the first place and needs to
be stopped.
“This project by AB Capstone is not what
the community needs,” Gurch said. “Obviously,
if there are people dying on the worksite
that is an egregious form of violence
against the community. And the people
who live here won’t even be able to live in
the tower because it’s so expensive. So, what
good does it really do?”
Gurch said that she would like to see some
form of public space or services for vulnerable
people offered at this site.
AB Capstone did not respond to QNS for
comment before deadline.
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