EAST VILLAGE — The plots of land left vacant by the East Village gas explosion have been sold to a development company for $9.15 million, property records show.
Former property owner Maria Hrynenko's realty companies in May signed over the two empty lots, 119 and 121 Second Ave., to Yaniv Cohen's Nexus Building Development Group Inc., going by Avenue Second Owner LLC on documents.
Hrynenko is currently embroiled in several legal battles over her role in the deadly 2015 blast at 121 Second Ave. that killed two people, injured 22, and leveled three buildings.
She was indicted last year for criminally negligent homicide in connection to the explosion, along with her son Michael Hrynenko, contractor Dilber Kukic, and plumber Anthanasios "Jerry" Ioannidis. Prosecutors said the building's gas line was illegally tampered with and that the four fled the scene without warning others.
Several lawsuits have been filed by victims against Hrynenko, the city, Con Edison and other defendants — lawyers for those victims told the New York Post they fear the sale of the land could jeopardize their clients' settlements.
Meanwhile, the family of Nicholas Figueroa, who died in the blast along with Moises Locon, has brought a wrongful death lawsuit against Hrynenko, the city and others involved in the building's upkeep.
Councilwoman Rosie Mendez had told DNAinfo New York she had hoped the city would swipe up the land once the legal battles had been resolved for either affordable housing or open space.
"I was hoping the city would be able to recapture these two lots," Mendez said in a statement Friday. "I am [saddened] to hear that we were not able to do so."
News of the sale was first reported by EV Grieve.
The site of the third decimated building at 123 Second Ave. — which was not owned by Hrynenko — sold last year for $6 million.
