If demolition and construction in Brooklyn were a genre of literature or drama, it would be Theater of the Absurd. How else to explain day-to-day, week-to-week spectacle of flagrant violations by developers and contractors, slow response by municipal officials and blatant disregard of any orders that are eventually issued?

We present without further explanation the following letter sent by Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Heights to the Commissioner of the Department of Buildings:

Despite your efforts; the illegal Demolition at 574 Fourth Ave. has continued. Last Friday there were 2 floors of a building. As I passed the site, this Morning, I noticed that the building was gone. At 1PM, when I returned to see what was going, on I found an 8 ton (probably more) Backhoe was busy taking down what was left of the building. There were 2 men [one Asian and one Hispanic] standing outside as lookouts, and one Polish (I think) man operating the Back-Hoe. I started to take some Pictures and was immediately descended upon. I asked if they had any permits. The operator of the Back Hoe (who happened to be the only one who could speak English) said that they were doing what there “BOSS” told them. I explained that their “BOSS” told them to break the law. Then I asked if they had a permit for the Machine and they looked at me like I had 3 heads. When I asked if the operator had a license to operate the machine and he immediately said “NO.”…I am attaching 2 video, 2 Pictures and a short audio recording of the Operator admitting to not having a license.
Thank You and Enjoy!

All we need is a Commissioner or Inspectors with names like Pirandello or Kafka, and we’re set.