Rakes Progress: 325 20th Street

Thinking of a career in Forensic Engineering?
It's quite common for the NYC Buildings Department to issue Stop Work Orders and then immediately turn around and down grade them to Partial Stop Work Orders so that remedial repairs can be made to the injured property before the situation can deteriorate any further. The DOB usually specifies that this is the only work that is permitted... The temporary shoring to stabilize adjoining properties. This appears to be what's happening on the construction site 325 20th Street right now. I'm actually a little surprised that an emergency vacate order wasn't issued for the building. The southeastern corner of the foundation looks seriously compromised. I'm not sure I would want to wait around and see. The cracks seem to be getting wider over the last week.
You can find additional permit information and photos of the damage to 321 20th Street right here.

The operation of propping the sinking wall with shores has been completed?
The old original rubble stone foundation of 321 20th Street is visible in this photo below.





















Raking Shores consist of one or more timbers sloping between the face of the structure to be supported and the ground. The most effective support is given if the raker meets the wall at an angle of 60 to 70 degrees. A wall-plate is typically used to increase the surface area of support.







Some of the more memorable examples of emergency or "remedial" shoring performed by contractors after neighboring buildings were damaged during faulty excavation/foundation work in South Brooklyn.

400 15th Street Brooklyn Early excavation work at 400 15th St. results in major shifting of adjoining property 396 15th St. Multiple cracks occur running throughout the walls and floors of this two story commercial building. Eventually the entire eastern masonry wall pictured below and the front facade had to be completely removed and rebuilt from the foundation on up. This project is still under construction. For more details.

















289 13th Street Brooklyn Excavation work results in cracks running the full height of the front facade of 291 13th St. A Stop Work Order remains in place. For more details.


















406-408 15th Street Brooklyn While boring and installing 60' deep hollow steel tube piles for a three story underground parking facility, the neighboring building, 1504 8th Avenue begins to sink and crack. Emergency Vacate Order Issued by Buildings Department has 8 families out on the street. This building remains vacant as construction continues on the Armory Plaza.