NEW YORK — Following a parking lot collapse in Manhattan, city officials inspected dozens of parking garages and ordered the immediate closure of four garages due to signs of “structural deterioration to a degree that posed an immediate danger.” for public safety”.
Two of the garages have apartments above them – a 25-story building in midtown Manhattan and an eight-story building in Chinatown – but officials said there appeared to be no danger.
Officials ordered the owners to immediately repair the corroded concrete and other deterioration.
Inspections began shortly after a century-old, three-story parking structure collapsed on April 18, leaving the body of its manager amid rubble of concrete and twisted metal.
“This work has been done in the interest of public safety and out of an abundance of caution,” said Department of Construction spokesman Andrew Rudansky.
“During our inspection of 78 parking structures, we found four locations where structural issues necessitated the immediate evacuation of parts of the buildings,” he added.
Last year, the city required owners of parking structures to be inspected at least every six years. The first group of garages, from the southern tip of Manhattan to the southern area of Central Park, has until the end of the year to carry out the first inspections.
The structure that collapsed this month had not completed the required inspection, city officials said.
The causes of the collapse are still under investigation, but structural defects had already been detected, including signs of “concrete spalling” type corrosion.