A construction worker was injured on Monday morning at the future site of a 300-foot free-fall ride to be built atop a 1,000-foot-tall building on 8th Avenue.
The accident happened at the construction site on the corner of 45th and 8th Ave in Hell’s Kitchen at around 10am. The Department of Buildings (DOB) reported that “a worker fell down the stairs tower”.
EMS from NYC Langone Hospital and FDNY firefighters from the nearby Ladder 21 worked together to recover the worker from the site. Firefighters rigged up a pulley system on their ladder to haul the worker up in a basket. The DOB reported that the man was taken by ambulance to NYU Langone for evaluation for neck and back injury.
DOB have cited the construction company for site conditions endangering workers. They said in their report that there had been a “summons issued for failure to maintain housekeeping as per code and inadequate pre-shift safety meeting for scope of work.”
DOB say that an inspection after the accident “revealed standing water in the area of the stair tower,” which created a “slip and fall hazard condition”.
In a previous incident in July this year, a worker suffered a “major injury” at the same site at 740 8th Avenue. That time, a worker fell six or seven feet when his ladder was struck by a piece of equipment being hoisted by an excavator, according to FDNY and Building Department officials. After that incident, DOB issued a summons for a failure to institute safety measures after finding the hoisting operation was not coordinating with the rest of the crew.
The supertall development by Extell Development Group, currently in excavation stage, will include a 1,067-foot tall, 51-story hotel with 1,000 rooms, boasting an observation deck and a 90-second “free drop” indoor amusement park ride, propelling thrill-seekers 260 feet into the sky before a descent. Designed by architects SLCE and ODA, the skyscraper is slated for a 2027 opening.
There has been opposition to the project from local advocacy groups and members of Manhattan Community Board 5’s Land Use Committee (MCB5). They argue that construction noise, congestion, and the density of the amusement park ride will negatively impact nearby businesses and residents’ quality of life. MCB5 Land Use Chair Layla Law-Gisiko expressed uncertainty about the appropriateness of amusement rides in Midtown, citing that it’s not a permitted use and could set a precedent for similar projects in the area, potentially including casinos.
*Additional reporting by Ariel Pacheco and Richard Moore.
Our community is being turned into a bizarre carnival/casino/amusement park to the financial benefit of investors who do not live here. There will undoubtedly be serious injuries, more noise (is it possible?!), and deterioration of any family friendly areas.
We are selling out the people who live here!
I agree 1000%. no, make that a million %!
We have been loud in our opposition to this project- city leaders have responded with a deaf ear. 🤬
A hipster joke from 2005, originally a flyer posted that you can search for, picked up by Curbed:
WILLIAMSBURG DOESN’T NEED A SPACE ELEVATOR! The Space Elevator Will Mean: Less Parking, Weird Ribbon Thing, Constant Loud Whirring Noise, Increased Space Elevator Truck Traffic. Developers have submitted plans to build a massive space elevator in Williamsburg! This monstrosity, completely out of context with existing development in the neighborhood, will be accessible only to the wealthy, forcing thousands of average Williamsburgers from their homes and live-work spaces! Jobs the elevator will generate (operators, repairmen, astronauts) are certain to go to non-residents! Don’t sit idly by and let this elevator cast its impossibly long, cold, and very narrow shadow over our homes! CALL 311 AND TELL THEM ‘I JUST DON’T NEED THIS SPACE ELEVATOR!’
Wow! right on target!
Living on the corner of 8th Ave & 45th St since 1992 and facing 8th Av., I now have the misfortune to be living right across the street from this monstrosity and am dealing with the unbearable construction noise. It has been ruining my quality of life and stressing me out. As well as my neighbors in the building. We don’t need this as a community. We don’t need an amusement park ride here in the middle of the thick crush of tourists and residents. This is just the beginning of the accidents that are bound to happen. I dread the thought of this Extell money tower somehow falling into my building, busting through my windows and into my apartment like the crane accident on 10th ave. Could happen anytime, at any stage of “construction” and that stupid unnecessary tourist ride could come crashing down killing people. Obviously, I have no faith in their competence. They’ll be busy cutting corners every which way. How is that that none of our political leaders have not been able to stop this? New York City on the road to absurdity. We got to somehow kick Extell’s ass! I hope those injured workers are compensated well and fairly.
It’s the universe telling us that this building shouldn’t exist.
Stay on them and take to the streets if you have to. As a former resident and community activist (’88-2011), there was a Clinton Special District which protected the character and restricted such building. We did hit the streets, united and visible and successfully blocked the building of a that ridiculous new stadium. Keep the faith and organize!
Janet, your elected officials do not want to stop this. It’s that simple. Vote better people in. No more Quinn, Johnson, Simone, Bottcher or Hoylman. All bought by developers.
I totally disagree! Brad, Tony, and Erick have not been bought. On the other hand, I do not doubt that our mayor, Nightclub Eric, is all for it!