City Shuts Down 'Renovation' That Left Upper West Side Residents Without Stairs

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — The city Department of Buildings has shut down a "renovation" project in an Upper West Side walkup that would force residents to use the five-story building's fire escape to get in and out of their apartments, a department spokesman told Patch.

The owners of 167 E. 83rd St., located between Amsterdam and Columbus avenues, blocked off access to the building's interior staircase as workers removed stairs from the building's fifth floor to the roof, a DOB spokesman told Patch. On June 12 DOB investigators visited the work site after receiving complaints from tenants and issued a stop work order, the spokesman said.

"DOB responded immediately to this complaint and prevented the building owner from doing any work that could have prevented tenants from getting in or out of their apartments," a department spokesman told Patch. "The owner’s contractor had removed stairs leading from the top floor to the roof, and DOB ensured that these stairs were replaced the same day."

On June 13, the DOB revoked the construction permit filed on behalf of the building's owners. The owners — listed as Pine Management on DOB job filings — had filed plans to renovate the lobby and stairs, claiming there would be "no change in use, egress and occupancy."

Pine Management insisted that they followed the approved city permits in a statement sent to Patch.

"From the commencement of this project we received all necessary municipal permits and approvals and will continue to abide by all procedures to ensure the safety of our tenants," Pine Management Vice President Jason Rohlman told Patch in a statement.

The case has been referred to the office of the Buildings Marshal and the DOB is "closely monitoring the situation," a DOB spokesman told Patch.

Photo by Google Maps street view.