Just after 6 a.m., a vacant five-story building at 69 Reade Street (between Broadway and Church Street) collapsed, shooting dust and debris all over the block. Fire officials say it appears no one was inside the building at the time of the collapse, WCBS reports. The building also has an address of 87 Chambers Street, which means this is the same five-story building that is slated to be expanded into a 100-room boutique hotel (and already was something of a wreck). Construction has been ongoing at the site with DOB records showing a permit issued in November for heavy-duty structural work.
UPDATE: Here's a glimpse of those hotel designs.
11AM UPDATE: The Times identifies the collapsed building as 71 Reade Street?the other half of the hotel plan?and reports that a 311 complaint dated yesterday mentioned the building was shaking, vibrating and looked unstable.
4PM UPDATE: Architect Eran Chen, who designed the hotel conversion, tells us work on the vacant lot next door may have caused the collapse.
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