LOWER EAST SIDE — Elected officials are calling on state legislators to pass a bill aimed at improving the regulation and licensure for elevator workers following the death of a 25-year-old man trapped in an elevator on New Year's Eve.
Stephen Hewett-Brown of the Bronx suffered fatal injuries when he was pinned between an elevator car and the third floor of 131 Broome St. while trying to escape a stalled cab, police and witnesses said.
But his death might have prevented if the state legislature had passed the Elevator Safety Act, which would require elevator workers to be licensed and create an oversight body for elevator safety on the state level, said State. Sen. Daniel Squadron and Assemblyman Keith L.T. Wright Friday morning in front of the Broome Street building.
Currently, credentials are not required of elevator mechanics and training has not been codified, they said.
“We know the tragedy on New Year’s Eve can’t be undone but we also know that is has to be a call to action here, not just for the residents of Grand Street Guild but for everyone across the state of New York,” said Squadron.
“It’s a common-sense piece of legislation," added Wright, who stood next to Squadron surrounded by elevator union workers, tenants and representatives of Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and Councilwoman Margaret Chin.
The bill was introduced in the 2011-2012 session and passed by the State Assembly four times, said Squadron and Wright, two of the bill’s many sponsors.
But despite wide support in the State Senate — the bill, sponsored by upstate legislator Sen. John J. Bonacic, has more than 40 co-sponsors — it has not been brought to the floor for a vote, Squadron and Wright said.
Board members of the Grand Street Guild Tenants Association stood in solidarity with the elected officials, saying it was an important issue for residents they represent in 131 Broome St. and 410 and 460 Grand St.
Tenants of the Grand Street Guild buildings have long complained about the elevators even though the buildings went through multimillion dollar renovations a few years ago, they said.
Roughly 70 residents packed into the complex’s community room Thursday night, demanding answers from the buildings’ management about the state of the elevators while sharing stores of shaky rides up and down the buildings and their own experiences stuck between floors.
“We’re just not safe,” said Jacqueline Mitchell, 59, who has lived at 131 Broome St. since she was 16 years old.
Tony Savarase, a member of the buildings’ board of directors, and Jay Yablonsky, the director of property management for Wavecrest Management, which manages the complex, said the elevators had been completely modernized during the renovations and that they had passed inspections each year.
The management is currently working with the Department of Buildings, which has launched an investigation into the New Year’s Eve incident, they said. They promised to share its findings and work with the tenants’ association on the next steps once it was completed.
