Strand Bookstore Took $160K Hit After Explosions, Lawsuit Says

EAST VILLAGE, NY — The famous Strand Bookstore and its owner filed a lawsuit Tuesday faulting New York City and utility companies for explosions that damaged the store last year. The suit in Manhattan Supreme Court says the city Department of Transportation, ConEdison and Verizon failed to maintain the stretch of Broadway where the March 31 blasts cost the Strand https://www.law360.com/article...more than $160,000.

An underground fire caused two manholes to explode early that morning on Broadway near East 12th Street. One of the explosions caused a fire outside the Strand that caused "substantial property damage and a significant loss of business income," the lawsuit says. The store was forced to close that day.

The East Village store and its owner, Bass Real Estate LLC, argue ConEd and Verizon failed to maintain their underground electrical and phone equipment, leading to the explosions. The suit also blames Empire City Subway Company, a Verizon subsidiary that maintains underground conduits and manholes in the city.

The Department of Transportation's failure to maintain the street also contributed to the damage the store suffered, says the lawsuit, reported first by Law360.

The Strand and Bass Real Estate are seeking at least $160,000 in damages from the company and the city.

Fire officials blamed the explosions on building pressure caused by an underground fire. ConEd workers were seen on the street investigating what happened.

A ConEd spokeswoman, Joy Faber, said the company is reviewing the lawsuit's claims and is "in communication with the Strand's insurer."

The city Law Department hasn't yet received the suit, spokesman Nick Paolucci said.

"We will review the suit once we are served and respond accordingly," Paolucci said.

A spokeswoman for Verizon, Carolyn Schamberger, declined to comment.

The lawsuit came about three weeks after the death of Fred Bass, the Strand's longtime owner who brought the bookstore to prominence. Bass was buried at sea wearing a red sweatshirt from the store.

(Lead image by Ciara McCarthy/Patch)