In Today’s Times, Anthony Ramirez reports that the real estate developer of the site of yesterday’s crane accident is a retired New York City firefighter – with at least one experience of rescuing construction workers.
[James P.] Kennelly, 46, is a former New York City firefighter, a lifelong member of a special brotherhood.
He is now a multimillionaire condominium developer who built a business through the deft use of second mortgages, air rights, and ferocious hard work.
In an interview with The New York Times in 2003, Firefighter Kennelly said he liked looking at one of his high-rise condominium projects. “I changed the skyline of New York — a bit,” he said. “Pretty cool.”
After some 13 years in the Fire Department, Mr. Kennelly retired in 2004 from Ladder 16 in Manhattan, at 157 East 67th Street, about a mile from the catastrophe on Saturday.
While several firefighters were sickened and required oxygen at the scene on Saturday, no firefighter was listed as injured.
In a prepared statement, Mr. Kennelly said: “There are no words to describe the level of devastation we feel today as a result of this tragic event. Our heart and prayers are with the families of those who died in this horrible accident. We are also praying for a full recovery for the individuals who have been injured today.”
Still, Mr. Kennelly seemed to be placing some distance between his firm, the Kennelly Development Company of Manhattan, and his construction partners.
Kennelly Development hired Reliance Construction Group “as our construction manager because not only do they have a strong reputation as quality builders, but also for their outstanding safety record,” he said in the statement. In addition, Reliance “has hired subcontractors of similar record and reputation. New York Crane, to the best of our knowledge, has earned a reputation as the pre-eminent crane company in the region.”
Anthony Ramirez, Developer Who Can See From a Rescuer’s View – New York Times
I’m not sure that we should put a higher level of responsibility on real estate developers for the negligence of their contractors if they’re firefighters, or know more. Perhaps it’s enough to make real estate developers entirely financially responsible for all of what happens at their properties – they’re in the best position to make sure things are done properly.
