Renovation of DelShah’s 138 Ludlow Exposed Tenants to Hazardous Levels of Lead Dust
138 Ludlow Street
Controversial real estate magnate Michael Shah is accused by tenants of 138 Ludlow Street for creating a dangerous living environment.
Ongoing demolition inside the Ludlow Street walkup – acquired by DelShah Capital in January 2018 for $19 million – reportedly kicked up hazardous amounts of lead dust. The Department of Health conducted an inspection of the premises this past Christmas Eve, and ultimately found elevated levels of lead contamination in 11 of 17 samples collected in the building. The sample with the highest concentration was nearly 37-times the acceptable standards prescribed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
It’s also pertinent to note that at least three young children live at 138 Ludlow, a demographic most vulnerable to lead exposure.
(The bar on the ground floor, Local 138, is relocating to Orchard Street.)
“My daughter has been very sick from the dust,” longtime resident Mayra Hernandez said in a public statement. “She got eye and ear infections and she had to go the hospital many times. We clean every day and take the dust out, but it’s in the air.”
A coalition of tenants, elected officials, and the Lead Dust Free NYC (LDFNYC) advocacy group is now demanding an immediate remedy to the unsafe conditions, and for safe work practices to be put in place for all future renovation work. Moreover, they are calling on the City to improve enforcement around lead and to increase penalties for landlords who contaminate buildings.
“Michael Shah and DelShah Capital’s negligence have exposed the residents of 138 Ludlow Street to dangerous and life-threatening conditions,” said Assembly Member Yuh-Line Niou. “Many are at risk or have already been exposed to lead-laden construction dust and paint. These conditions are unacceptable and the landlord must resolve them immediately.”
By the latest count, at least a dozen Lower East Side buildings were purportedly contaminated with lead dust over the last four years.
Below is the full report of findings from the inspection at 138 Ludlow:
138 Ludlow Street Lead Report by on Scribd
Recent Stories
For 7th Year Running, Greek Jewish Festival Returns to Broome Street this Weekend
After a more subdued outing last year, the Greek Jewish Festival this spring is on the rebound, pulling out the stops. It returns on Sunday for another go-round. Founded by Kehila Kedosha Janina on Broome Street seven years ago, the event celebrates the culture and traditions of the Greek Jewish community. Years past saw crowds […]
Revisiting the Story of the Eastern Dispensary at 75 Essex Street
The historic Eastern Dispensary Building at 75 Essex Street – home of Eisner Bros. – will soon undergo major redevelopment to add a ten-story protrusion to its rooftop. Fresh off this news, which broke earlier this month, we thought it appropriate to revisit a Bowery Boogie entry from nine years ago detailing the history of […]
Motorcycle Driver Killed in FDR Drive Crash
A motorcyclist driving the FDR Tuesday morning lost control of the vehicle and died after hitting the roadway, police said. The driver, identified as Brooklyn 36-year-old resident Christian Reyes, had been traveling southbound on the FDR Drive at 7:10am in the vicinity of Exit 3, when he struck the left edge curbing and guide rail. […]
Seven-Story Office Building Headed to Bowery Lighting District
A new commercial office tower is coming soon to the so-called Bowery Lighting District. Real Estate Equities Corp. submitted plans to Department of Buildings last month for an 85-foot commercial development at Bowery and Broome Street. The footprint will occupy the stretch of pre-war buildings spanning 156 to 166 Bowery; demolition permits were issued in June 2021. […]
Post-Pandemic Chinatown Brings Melting Pot of Restaurants
Chinatown is more than the regional Chinese cuisine of old. The neighborhood has certainly seen its comfort food offerings evolve throughout the decades. From the Americanized Chop Suey in the 1940s and 1950s, to Toisanese, Shanghainese and Hakka favorites in the 1960s. The influx of Hong Kong immigrants brought with it Cantonese offerings and Hong Kong-style […]
