Little Italy building will be demolished following partial collapse
NEW YORK -- A building in Little Italy will have to be demolished following a partial collapse earlier this week.
The historic building, once home to one of the oldest cheese shops in the country, will be knocked down.
The New York City Department of Buildings says an emergency demolition is needed because it is now a hazard to the public. That's because of a collapsed chimney and because of what the city describes as illegal renovation work that was happening on the first floor.
Inspectors say they discovered that work was being done without a permit after a wall collapsed Wednesday afternoon. Video obtained by CBS New York shows bricks falling outside, knocking over a construction fence as people nearby start running.
A full vacate order was issued Thursday, and a partial vacate order was issued for a neighboring commercial space.
Until last year, that building was home to the historic Alleva Dairy store. That piece of Little Italy's history will soon be reduced to rubble.
In a statement, Alleva Dairy owner Karen King said, "My heart just fell a couple of beats."
A crew is shoring the building now, and the city says the emergency demolition will begin next week.
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