The private engineer accused of “negligence” by the Adams administration in examining the Bronx building that partially collapsed in December has reached an agreement with New York City that includes a $10,000 fine and a two-year suspension of his inspection authority, the Daily News has learned.
Investigations are ongoing into what caused the corner of 1915 Billingsley Terrace in Morris Heights to cave in on Dec. 11, but engineer Richard Koenigsberg was previously called out by the Adams administration for having misidentified a load-bearing column as decorative prior to the collapse.
The Department of Buildings had temporarily suspended Koenigsberg’s ability to inspect facades days after the incident. Under the new deal signed last week “related to his negligence” at 1915 Billingsley, according to the DOB, those inspection privileges will be withheld for two years.
The property had over 100 building violations prior to the partial collapse in December in which there were no deaths or serious injuries.
“Public safety in our city relies heavily on the competence and expertise of state-licensed private engineers, especially their ability to properly diagnose building conditions,” DOB Commissioner James Oddo said in a statement. “Decisive actions, like the one announced today against Mr. Koenigsberg, send a clear message to the industry that we will not tolerate sloppy work that puts our fellow New Yorkers in danger.”
Koenigsberg entered into the legally binding agreement with the city voluntarily in lieu of a formal disciplinary hearing. He declined to comment when reached by The News.
The collapse is still under investigation by the DOB, the Department of Investigation and the Bronx District Attorney, which could result in “further enforcement” against Koenigsberg.
Per the agreement, Koenigsberg will have four months to wind down any jobs he has in progress but can’t start any new ones. All facade inspections he submits will have to be reviewed by a third party and face extra DOB scrutiny. The department said it has already audited over 350 of Koenigsberg’s recent inspections reports “to ensure their accuracy.”
“Public safety is our administration’s top priority, and the signing of today’s agreement should serve as a reminder to all construction professionals about the importance of carrying out their duties professionally, competently, and, most importantly, safely,” said Mayor Adams.
More than 100 residents of the building were displaced after the collapse, some of whom are still unable to move back in. The Legal Aid Society filed a lawsuit on behalf of two dozen tenants against the city and the building’s landlords earlier this month alleging harassment and hazardous conditions. It named agencies including the DOB as well as owners David Kleiner, Yonah Roth, Moishe “Mo” Doe and 1915 Realty LLC.
“The city is fully responsible for this whole situation,” one resident told The News at the time. “It’s about to be two months already [since the collapse] and we’ve got no answers.”
