Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Deadly Manhattan parking garage collapse tied to unsafe demolition, structural neglect, report finds
By
Phil Corso
Published Apr 28, 2025
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office
By
Phil Corso
Published Apr 28, 2025
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The collapse of a Lower Manhattan parking garage in 2023 was triggered by unauthorized demolition work and years of structural neglect, according to a final investigation report released Monday by the city's Department of Buildings and independent engineers.
The nearly 100-year-old garage at 57 Ann St. buckled in April 2023 after workers removed bricks and mortar from a critical load-bearing pier without permits or proper support, city officials said. The weakened pier failed under the weight of a car parked on the roof, causing a chain-reaction collapse, according to officials. The incident killed longtime garage manager Willis Moore and injured seven others, according to the city's final investigative report.
A forensic report by LERA Consulting Structural Engineers found that extensive deterioration — including cracked concrete, corroded steel reinforcements and poorly connected walls — left the building especially vulnerable. Investigators also cited decades of maintenance failures and floor loads exceeding the building’s original design limits.
"The extensive multi-agency investigation into this catastrophic collapse makes one point abundantly clear: this tragedy in the heart of Lower Manhattan was entirely preventable," Buildings Commissioner Jimmy Oddo said in a statement. "The reckless direction of these workers to remove bricks from the pier, together with the failure to report the issue to DOB, obtain the required construction permits, and install critical structural shoring, caused this building to come down."
The garage's operator, Little Man Parking, and its engineering firm, Experion Design Group, failed to secure necessary permits or properly assess the building's structural risks before starting demolition work, the report said. Representatives for both companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
City officials have issued multiple violations against the building’s owners and operators and mandated independent reviews for future inspections tied to them. New regulations and a $4.7 million predictive enforcement team are being launched to identify and address similar risks across the city, officials said.
After the collapse, the City Council passed legislation tightening parking garage inspections, doubling penalties for violations and requiring structural checks every four years instead of six.
Tagged
new york city
public safety
manhattan
Phil Corso
Phil Corso is the evening news editor at WNYC/Gothamist. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Central Park birders, others remember 63-year-old woman killed in park
People who said they knew her described her as an artist and a familiar presence in the Ramble.
By
Charles Lane
Published Sep 28, 2026 at 7:04 p.m. ET
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
News
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
By
Arya Sundaram
A Brooklyn jail cell filled with smoke. The emergency button failed, a lawyer said.
By
Samantha Max
Crews launch tunnel machines to dig first new Hudson River rail tunnels since 1910
By
Michael Sol Warren
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .