A portion of the brick facade collapsed outside a well-known bakery in the West Village earlier this month, leading city officials to order residents to evacuate the historic building.
Despite this, many residents expressed confusion, saying they had received no clear guidance about the evacuation. “There are no clues,” one resident remarked.
“Honestly, even if we’re just sitting on the fire escape, we could easily have a brick fall on us,” said Camille Shelton, 23, who resides in one of the seven apartments at 82 Christopher Street.
This unsettling event unfolded on August 21, coinciding with a storm that took down part of the 25-square-foot brick facade just moments before tourists lined up outside Janney Cookies.
“It felt like an earthquake—like lightning struck,” recalled Mona Sewell, a 27-year-old resident. “I actually ran to the bathroom for safety.”
Following the incident, the city quickly issued a vacate order. Inspectors found other parts of the facade were also at risk of collapse, according to an agency spokesperson. Notices placed on the building warned that anyone violating the order could face arrest.
Interestingly, city records indicated that inspectors confirmed on the day after the collapse that no residents were present, yet six of the seven units claimed ignorance of the evacuation order.
“We were told it only applied to the first floor,” Shelton noted. “There’s no indication that the city considers our apartments abandoned.”
Shelton further expressed concern that loose bricks could easily be dislodged by future storms, posing a risk to everyone in the busy area.
Emails reviewed revealed that the landlord’s representatives assured tenants the evacuation was limited to the first-floor bakery, claiming the apartments were safe to occupy.
Zach Gindy, the landlord, mentioned he was unaware that his accountant had made such statements to tenants.
Gindy maintained that the building remained safe and mentioned he was collaborating with external engineers to provide proof of this.
“I’m doing everything possible. Everyone else can return to their apartments, and we can reopen the store. The main concern is the first floor,” he stated on Monday.
In a twist, the Department of Buildings plans to take Gindy to court in October due to his inability to maintain the property and comply with evacuation orders.
The agency clarified that issuing a vacate order is a last resort, only employed when there is a direct threat to residents’ safety. For violations, Gindy could face fines reaching up to $35,000.
However, some residents noted that the rent for one tenant had been extremely low, which seemed to undermine the seriousness of the situation.
“We’re just looking for a safe place,” Sewell stated.
“In West Village, a lot of these façades are over a century old, which is part of their charm,” Shelton added. “But it really requires responsible ownership to maintain it properly.”
