Memo re Deutsche Bank Deconstruction/Investigation

Memo

To: Scaffolding
From: Joy Wiltermuth
Date: February 21, 2001
Re: Deutsche Bank Deconstruction/Investigation
____________________________________

Timeline of major events:

September 11, 2001:

130 Liberty Street building (the former Deutsche Bank Building) badly damaged in terrorist attacks in lower Manhattan

August 18, 2007:

Fire breaks out at 130 Liberty Street and firefighters Robert Beddia and Joseph Graffagnino are killed fighting the blaze.

September 8, 2007:

Fire Chiefs say 15-day inspection schedule is not realistic. Bloomberg said it is checking into whether or not other large buildings (in construction or deconstruction) are meeting the 15-day inspection schedule. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/14/nyregion/14deutsche.html?_r=1&scp=9&sq=deutsche+bank+fire&st=nyt&oref=slogin

September 2008:

The statement said Mr. Naftalis and his firm had been retained to help city lawyers respond to the storm of subpoenas issued by the office of Robert M. Morgenthau, the Manhattan district attorney, to advise the city and “to appropriately and fully cooperate” with the inquiry.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/nyregion/19bank.html?scp=6&sq=deutsche+bank+fire&st=nyt


October 9, 2007:

Uniformed Firefighters Association, the union representing city firefighters and officers, are alleging a cover-up. The union presidents cited two high-level meetings in mid-September at which, they said, two senior chiefs called for a cessation of e-mail messages about the [Deutsche Bank] building.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/10/nyregion/10fire.html?scp=4&sq=deutsche+bank+fire&st=nyt

January 14, 2008:

Fire Department alters its inspection schedule. In an effort to focus on larger and more complex construction and demolition projects, the Fire Department has decreased the frequency of inspections for some smaller projects. The move is part of a series of changes made in response to lapses exposed by the death of two firefighters at the former Deutsche Bank building. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/14/nyregion/14inspect.html?scp=8&sq=deutsche+bank+fire&st=nyt

February 14, 2008:

Sister of firefighter killed at Deutsche Bank sues LMDC and contractor at the site who “knowingly created those conditions.” “They had a responsibility to let the firefighters know, and they failed to do that.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/14/nyregion/14deutsche.html?_r=1&scp=9&sq=deutsche+bank+fire&st=nyt&oref=slogin



February 20, 2008:

Federal safety regulators have accused the contractors who were taking down the former Deutsche Bank tower in the summer of indifference or intentional disregard for dangerous conditions that led to a fatal fire there, and of a host of other serious safety violations, officials said on Tuesday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/20/nyregion/20deutsche.html?scp=7&sq=deutsche+bank+fire&st=nyt


February 21, 2008:

The Bloomberg administration and the state-run Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, both under scrutiny in the criminal investigation into the fatal Deutsche Bank fire, have incurred more than $2.2 million in fees for outside lawyers to defend their roles in the events that led up to the blaze, officials said this week.

The Bloomberg administration and the state-run Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, both under scrutiny in the criminal investigation into the fatal Deutsche Bank fire, have incurred more than $2.2 million in fees for outside lawyers to defend their roles in the events that led up to the blaze, officials said this week.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/nyregion/21deutsche.html?scp=2&sq=deutsche+bank+fire&st=nyt


Major players:

1. The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, which owns the building
2. Bovis Lend Lease, construction manager
3. John Galt Corporation, the subcontractor
4. Robert M. Morgenthau, the Manhattan district attorney
5. Uniformed Firefighters Association
6. Dept of Buildings DOB