New York Yankee Plane Crash
On October 11, 2006 New York Yankee Pitcher Cory Lidle tragically crashed his single engine aircraft into the Belaire Condominiums at 527 east 72nd Street. AAG handled all aspects of this high profile case that New York City won’t soon forget.
Case Details
As the city entered a state of fear and panic, an organized and calculated formula was needed to respond to the many New Yorkers who were impacted by this tragic event. The airplane struck a 30th-floor apartment causing shrapnel and burns to one of the residents. Property damage was significant to both the physical building and other residents’ personal property.
The condo association retained AAG to handle the insurance negotiations with the building’s carrier so that building repairs could begin as expeditiously as possible without sacrificing the safety demanded by city agency requirements.
Emergent Concerns
The residents’ ability to settle each of their individual claims was predicated by the success of the building’s insurance claim. This required an emergency plan to be formulated and implemented quickly that mitigated the loss from further damage. Additionally, the plan needed to account for the preparation of applicable estimates for the permanent repairs. Residents also spent months living in temporary quarters from rental apartments to hotel rooms while their apartments were being repaired.
The mounting pressure from residents who wanted to return home combined with the limited reserve funds available to finance numerous construction repairs were some of the pressing concerns the condo board faced.
Solutions
AAG coordinated with industrial hygienists and restoration companies to implement a protocol for an emergency, temporary, and permanent repairs. Windows and doors were secured to protect the building from further damage. Air quality was restored to acceptable levels as water and smoke were removed from the floors and walls.
AAG’s team of experts then calculated a repair estimate to restore the building to its pre-loss condition. AAG took on multiple roles including construction consultant to the general contractor so that repairs could be made in accordance with the insurance settlement.
Recovery
AAG provided hands-on service, responding to the pressure of numerous and intimately connected deadlines that required delicate attention to detail to keep the project on track. AAG navigated through multiple difficulties, whether it was dealing with a resident’s insufficient insurance and policy limitations to complying with requests from city officials and building code requirements.
By reestablishing normalcy after a tragic New York City accident, AAG was able to establish itself as a crucial asset not only to the condominium and its many residents but also to New York City as a whole.