Landlord accused of partially demolishing building with 8 children inside after lying on permit request
Joel Grunbaum, 31, of Brooklyn, was indicted Wednesday for allegedly claiming that 716 East 215 St. was unoccupied while making renovation plans in 2022.
More Stories
Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark says a landlord of is accused of partially demolishing a Williamsbridge building with eight children inside after lying on a Department of Buildings permit request.
Joel Grunbaum, 31, of Brooklyn, was indicted Wednesday for allegedly claiming that 716 East 215 St. was unoccupied while making renovation plans in 2022.
Prosecutors say Grunbaum claimed the building would remain unoccupied during construction, alteration or demolition, despite allegedly knowing that a tenant was living in an apartment on the third floor with her eight children and grandchildren.
This lie granted him the permit to start demolishing the walls and ceilings of the vacant apartments.
The construction made the building unstable and prompted the DOB to issue a vacate order on Nov. 6.
"That omission allowed the landlord to begin demolition without adequate protections for the tenants, making the building unsafe and resulting in a vacate order that forced the tenants – including children – out in the middle of the night in a building where the public hallways had no electricity," said Department of Investigation Commissioner Nadia I. Shihata.
Grunbaum is charged with offering a false instrument and is due back in court on Aug. 31.
"We will not tolerate anyone putting tenants in danger during building construction," said Clark. "Fortunately, no one was injured."
