Chunk of brick façade falls in West Village, city orders evacuation of century-old building

A large section of brick façade collapsed outside a popular West Village bakery on Aug. 20, prompting the New York City Department of Buildings to declare a five-story, century-old residential building “perilous to life” and order its evacuation — a directive that several tenants say they did not receive.

Residents of 82 Christopher St., a building that houses seven units and where one-bedroom rents run roughly $5,000 a month, told The Post and other outlets they were blindsided by the order and remain uncertain when they may return. Nearly a dozen occupants said they had "no clue" they had been ordered to leave their homes and described the collapse as sudden and frightening.

The collapse occurred late on a stormy night, residents said, when a roughly 25-square-foot section of brick crashed down onto the sidewalk steps from Janie’s Life Changing Baked Goods, a high-traffic bakery popular with locals and tourists. "We thought it was thunder, and then we thought it was an earthquake," said resident Mona Sewell, 27, describing how she and others sought shelter inside an apartment bathroom. Another tenant, identified as Camille, 23, said, "Even if any of us were to be sitting on our fire escape, we could easily be hit by one of the bricks that hasn’t fallen yet."

The Department of Buildings inspected the structure after the collapse and posted an order of evacuation, according to city sources and tenant accounts. Tenants said they were not given timely notice of the order and that communication from the city or building management was inadequate. Some described packing belongings hurriedly or remaining unsure whether they could safely enter to retrieve essential items.

The five-story building sits below the six-story threshold for the city's Façade Inspection & Safety Program, commonly known as Local Law 11 (or FISP), which requires periodic exterior inspections for taller buildings. That regulatory difference means a building of this height may not be subject to the same routine façade examinations as higher structures, a factor residents and housing advocates have cited in discussions about the vulnerability of older masonry buildings.

Civil engineers and urban infrastructure specialists say older masonry façades can deteriorate over time, and that exposure to wind-driven rain, freeze-thaw cycles and other weather stresses can loosen mortar and bricks. The late-August storm coincided with the collapse in this case; while authorities have not publicly identified a single cause, engineers often cite water infiltration and long-term neglect as common contributors to masonry failures.

Climate scientists and infrastructure experts have noted that a warming atmosphere is producing heavier, more frequent storms in some regions, increasing pressure on aging building envelopes and exterior materials. New York City has seen discussions in recent years about how to adapt maintenance regimes and inspection programs to a changing climate and a large stock of older buildings.

City officials have previously said that building owners are responsible for maintaining façades and making timely repairs. When masonry or exterior elements become unsafe, the Department of Buildings can issue emergency orders to vacate, secure the structure and require remediation work before residents return. In many cases, the agency posts a notice at the site and communicates with building owners; tenants or neighbors can also call 311 to report unsafe conditions.

Residents at 82 Christopher St. said they want clearer communication about the timeline for repairs and assurances about safety before they are allowed back inside. The collapse has raised fresh concern in the neighborhood about the state of older properties and about how inspections and emergency notifications reach tenants.

The Department of Buildings did not immediately release a public statement with detailed findings about the cause of the collapse or a timeline for remediation. Neighbors and local business owners said they remain on edge after the accident because of the volume of foot traffic in the area and the close proximity of outdoor seating and storefronts to the damaged portion of the building.

For now, tenants remain displaced while the city and the building’s owner address the hazard and assess the extent of required repairs. The incident underscores questions about the preparedness of aging urban building stock for increasingly intense weather and the systems in place to keep residents informed when emergencies occur.