Less than three months after a dramatic fire led to a crane collapse, a new crane has been hoisted atop the construction site on 10th Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen.
Work was completed this Saturday morning to replace the fire-damaged tower crane at 550 10th Avenue and W41st Street. A new boom was lifted to a height of 45 stories. The July incident resulted in 12 people sustaining minor injuries, including three firefighters.
In September, the charred crane and boom were lowered to the street, using a derrick that was installed on the under-construction building. That same smaller crane was used this morning to lift the new boom from the street. Traffic on 10th Avenue was diverted during the operation.
Local bar owner Pat Hughes witnessed the operation and told us, “The smaller crane on the roof actually lifts the pieces up. Amazingly, it’s strong enough and is braced nine floors down.”
Ryan Brodsky, who resides opposite the construction site at 555TEN, said, “They used the rooftop derrick crane to take down the old crane a few weeks back. They started assembling the tower pieces on Thursday and added the cab and crane unit yesterday. Today, they’re installing the boom on the 45th floor, the level from which it originally fell.”
The July collapse caused damage to neighboring buildings and left a massive crater on 10th Avenue. The five-alarm incident forced evacuations from 555TEN and The Victory luxury apartment buildings, both of which were hit by the falling crane. Nearby buildings like MiMa, 500 W42nd Street, YOTEL and Covenant House were also temporarily evacuated.
To help extinguish the fire, firefighters utilized hoses from the rooftop swimming pool area of 555TEN, which is located across the road from the crane site. The FDNY employed drones to coordinate the operation and assess potential structural damage.
The crane was part of a project for a 47-story residential building being developed by the Gotham Organization.
In September, New York City cited contractor Monadnock Construction for July’s crane fire. The contractor could face a $25,000 penalty. Department of Building (DOB) inspectors stated that Monadnock failed to adequately safeguard the Hell’s Kitchen construction site.
Although work is expected to resume at the construction site on Monday morning after DOB inspections, the rooftop amenities at 555TEN — including its swimming pool area — remain out of service. The rooftop was closed after the building was struck by the falling crane and FDNY firefighters used the area to combat the blaze.
A $25,000 fine? For all the damage it caused? Doesn’t seem like much of a fine for a construction company. How much is it going to cost 555TEN to fix their rooftop?
How much did it cost the city to repair 10th Ave? How much stress did it cost all of the vacationers at the Yotel to have to find another place to stay for a night? $25,000.00 is a pittance. Do the residence at 555TEN get a non-usage rebate for the amenities they pay for but had no access to?
I agree! Seems low to me