Gioia Probes City Contract Awards; Vallone Jr., Liu Seek Tougher Charge In Homicide Case

By John Toscano

Why in early 2002 did the Department of Sanitation award a $4.2 million contract to a demolition company which was held responsible for a 1996 five-alarm fire that lasted for 10 hours and resulted in injuries to 26 firefighters at another one of its job sites?

City Councilmember Eric Gioia is seeking to answer that question through an investigation by his Oversight and Investigations Committee into how the city issues contracts to get city work done.

Gioia’s dander is up because the company involved in the 1996 fire incident, Rapid Demolition, was also involved in a scaffold collapse last June while demolishing an old sanitation garage in Manhattan under a contract awarded by the Department of Sanitation.

Gioia (D–Woodside) said recently that a report issued by the city Department of Investigation into the June 12 building collapse concluded that Rapid Demolition’s "unlawful demolition practices, failure to follow the Department of Buildings’ approved demolition plans and flouting of Building Code requirements, led to the scaffolding collapse."

During the demolition, Gioia added, "Rapid had been issued 21 safety violations and a total of four fires occurred, and Rapid’s key site supervisor, Philip Schwab, had criminal convictions directly related to his work in demolition as well for bribery. After the collapse, Rapid even violated a stop-work order."

After reading the Department of Investigation’s report, which he termed "shocking," Gioia said, "I wanted to learn more about how Rapid Demolition was allowed to continue working on a New York City contract."

He scheduled a hearing by his committee, in conjunction with the council’s Sanitation Committee, because, he said, "I’m very concerned about the serious safety lapses that continue to occur."

At the first committee hearing into the contracts awarded to Rapid Demolition and how the contracts were carried out, Gioia said two of the company’s former workers testified that they were not provided with safety equipment nor did they receive any safety instructions. Gioia said Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty also testified and his testimony "raises disturbing questions about the city’s bidding process."

Gioia’s committee will be releasing a report on this probe in several weeks. Last week he announced an investigation into allegations that a high Correction Department official had used prison guards to work in Governor George Pataki’s recent re-election campaign while still on the clock at Rikers Island.

VALLONE JR. SUPPORTS LIU: Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. (D–Astoria), chairman of the Public Safety Committee, last week joined with Councilmember John Liu (D–Flushing) and members of the Chinese–American community who had called for more serious criminal charges in the killing of a Bronx liquor store dealer on October 12.

Vallone Jr. said Hasani Best was charged with third degree assault in the death of Li Quiang Shu after he struck Shu as the latter tried to mediate a dispute between two other people in his liquor store. The Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide but the Bronx District Attorney’s office only charged Best with assault.

"This vicious act needs to be punished to the fullest extent of the law," Vallone Jr., a former Assistant DA, said. "As Public Safety chair and as a former prosecutor, I have spoken to Bronx DA Robert Johnson about my concerns and I am ready to assist the Chinese–American community in this matter in any way possible."

BIPARTISAN EFFORT: Councilmembers Melinda Katz (D–Forest Hills) and Dennis Gallagher (R–C, Middle Village) joined forces last week to try to secure landmark status for the 94-year-old Republican Club building on Lefferts Boulevard in Richmond Hill.

Katz said at a Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) hearing that without the landmark status, the company that recently acquired the building will sell it. Then, according to a classified ad which Katz saw, it might be converted to a medical office, hospital school or house of worship.

If landmarked, the venerable old building would be protected from any changes to its exterior without permission from the LPC.

The structure is right on the border separating Katz’s and Gallagher’s districts, but is in Katz’s district. In a statement Gallagher delivered at the hearing, he described the building as an integral part of Richmond Hill which, if not given the protection of landmark status, will be destroyed. "We will lose yet another treasure," he said.

Among others testifying and advocating landmarking were Stanley Cogan, the Queens borough historian, Jeff Gottlieb, president of the Central Queens Historical Association, Nancy Cataldi, Richmond Hill Historical Society president, and Rita Werner, 79, who described herself as a lifelong resident of Richmond Hill.

Recollections about the building came from former Kew Gardens Republican district leader Wilfred (Bill) Dalton, who was also a real estate broker. Dalton, a colorful gentleman with an independent streak, used the building as his club’s headquarters during the 1970s. He said that Theodore Roosevelt either had a hand in erecting the building or visited or campaigned there. The building was built around 1908, which was during Roosevelt’s term as president from 1901 to 1909. Just prior to that he served as New York state governor from 1899 to 1900.

Dalton held forth there for several years. Political functions were held there. The building was also rented out to raise money to pay the rent and keep up the building.

AVELLA CALLS FOR SAFETY MEASURES: Councilmember Tony Avella (D–Bayside), joined by Queens colleagues David Weprin (D–Hollis) and Joseph Addabbo Jr. (D–Ozone Park), announced recently that he was introducing a bill requiring a stop sign or traffic light at every overpass intersection as a pedestrian and bicyclists’ safety measure. Another companion bill calls on insurance companies to supply the city Department of Transportation with statistics on all traffic accidents that occur in New York City.

"We must ensure that this remains a pedestrian–safe city," Avella said.

WEINER: ‘FILM GIULIANI STORY HERE’: On hearing that USA Network is planning to film a made-for-TV movie on the life of Rudolph Giuliani in Montreal, Canada, Congressmember Anthony Weiner (D–Queens/Brooklyn) complained to Barry Diller, the firm’s chief executive officer:

"It borders on ludicrous to suggest that a film on the life of the mayor of New York would be filmed anywhere but the Big Apple." Weiner said that’s like filming the battle of the Alamo in Vancouver, or the "Pride of the Yankees" at Skydome.

"...Make this film in New York City where it belongs," Weiner signed off to Diller.

OPEN MEMORIAL GARDEN FOR 9/11 HERO: The Richard Pearlman Memorial Garden, created in memory of the 18-year-old Forest Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps member who perished in the September 11 World Trade Center rescue effort, was dedicated recently by Councilmembers Melinda Katz and Dennis Gallagher and members of the FHVAC. The memorial garden, located in front of FHVAC headquarters at 92-29 Metropolitan Ave., Forest Hills, was the Eagle Scout project of Brian Gerdts, who approached Katz about doing it. Katz gave it the go-ahead and also made a contribution toward purchasing the brass plaque attached to a bench that welcomes visitors to the garden.

"I was grateful to be able to contribute to such a positive gesture," Katz stated. "It is wonderful to see youth take such initiative, and also to see Mr. Pearlman remembered in such an enduring and thoughtful way."