East Village pols seek new regulations
following rooftop party plunge
BY MARK HALLUM
Sadly, few long-time East Villagers
were surprised to learn that a young
woman fell six stories to her death
during a rooftop party on May 21.
With such bashes being thrown on the
rooftops of buildings becoming more and
more commonplace over the years, speakers
at a Sunday rally called for immediate
action to better regulate them — saying
that it was only a matter of time before
tragedy strikes again.
Councilwoman Carlina Rivera stood in
front of 202 Avenue A, where the tragedy
took place, on May 23 to explain that she
has a bill already introduced which would
force tenants to acknowledge their understanding
of the city’s noise codes. Another
piece of legislation she supports would
require better oversight of rooftop use and
capacities.
“Rooftops are an iconic staple of New
York City. We have to preserve that. But
dangerously overcrowded parties have
become more prevailing on rooftops that
have little to no safety protections or
monitoring on them,” Rivera said. “We
have to do something, and it starts fi rst and
foremost, with the landlords of these buildings.
Landlords are ultimately responsible
for ensuring that outdoor spaces are legally
and safely accessible and are not used improperly.
If you make the decision to buy a
building, you are responsible for the lives
202 Avenue A where a woman fell to her death during a crowded rooftop party
on May 21. A neighboring building has birthday balloons visible on the parapet.
of its residents. And these landlords are not
living up to that responsibility.”
Several residents attested that not only
do they witness overcrowded parties on the
regular on rooftops, but they see attendees
pulling dangerous stunts such has hopping
from roof to roof, building to building.
Robert la Force, a nearby resident,
blames part of the problem on the types of
spaces being converted by landlords who
illegally subdivide spaces and make up for
the limitations by offering common areas
in backyards and rooftops. From there,
parties seem to happen organically.
Another local says agency, even NYPD
have problems accessing some buildings to
break up parties, and complaints made in
PHOTO BY MARK HALLUM
the precinct has been met with sarcasm.
“I walked into a police station for the
fi rst time in my life to talk about this and
the man at the police station, at the desk, I
told him the story and I was super friendly,
I said, Look, I’ve lived here 27 years,” the
resident said. “I know this neighborhood,
I’ve lived in the same ten block radius. And
he just said, ‘So you moved to New York.'”
One possible solution raised by state
Senator Brad Hoylman was the possibility
of better funding the State Liquor Authority
so it can monitor and issue violations.
Meanwhile, dialing 311, fi ling complaints
with the city Department of Buildings or
trying NYPD has been the only recourse
for concerned neighbors.
Police investigating after driver slams
through Lower East Side storefront
BY DEAN MOSES
A driver smashed his
vehicle through a
glass storefront in the
Lower East Side late Monday
afternoon, May 24.
At approximately 3:52 p.m.
on May 24, police received a
report of a vehicle crashing into
the facade of a handcrafted specialty
store at 37 Orchard St.
First responders from the
FDNY and NYPD’s 7th Precinct
immediately responded
to the incident. Members of
the police department and fi re
department found a Toyota
Camry inside of a boutique
named November 19.
Toyota Camry left the storefront a shattered mess.
According to police
sources, no injuries were
reported as a result of the
PHOTO BY DEAN MOSES
accident. The driver — a
25-year-old-man — remained
at the scene and according to
preliminary investigations was
not intoxicated.
Police drove onlookers
back and cordoned off the
area as fi refi ghters tended to
the scene. Both the Toyota
and the storefront, which
sold hand crafted home and
lifestyle goods, was showered
with glass shards.
Window dressings were
also left ruined and irreparable
following the collision. The
store owners peered through
the decimated entranceway,
examining what was left of
their wares. They refused to
comment on the incident.
The cause of the accident is
still under investigation.
Five-alarm
blaze rips
through
Village
restaurant
PHOTO COURTESY OF FDNY
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
Two fi refi ghters suffered minor
injuries while battling a fi vealarm
inferno in Greenwich
Village early Saturday morning, May
22, the Fire Department reported.
According to Fire Department
sources, the blaze ignited at about
12:36 a.m. inside of 163 Bleecker St.,
a two-story structure that houses Uncle
Ted’s Chinese Cuisine on the fi rst fl oor
and a yoga studio above it.
The FDNY reported that the “stubborn
fi re” quickly spread throughout
the structure, and threatened to spread
to adjoining buildings. That led, eventually,
to a fi fth-alarm call that brought
out more than 200 fi refi ghters from 44
units to conduct exterior operations to
limit the fi re’s spread.
Fire Department sources said the
injured fi refi ghters suffered minor
wounds and were treated at local
hospitals. No civilian injuries were
reported.
Firefi ghters were able to get the blaze
under control at about 5:32 a.m. The
cause of the fi re is now under investigation
by FDNY marshals.
Schneps Media May 27, 2021 3