Bill Kibbel

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By Mira Wassef siadvance.com

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. ? Steven Turetsky, the Rosebank man fatally struck by a car Monday night near his home, was a proud father and a gifted builder who shared his passion for life and work with his two sons.

"He was an incredible dad," said his son, Jacob Turetsky, 23. "He devoted himself to us so entirely and faithfully. We were the center of his life."

On Monday night, around 7:30 p.m., a 2008 Honda hit Turetsky, 61, at the intersection of Bay Street and Hylan Boulevard, police said.

According to the NYPD Highway District's Collision Investigation Squad, a 2008 Honda Fit was traveling southbound on Bay Street in the left lane approaching the intersection of Hylan Boulevard at the same time the pedestrian was crossing Bay Street, from west to east, outside of the marked crosswalk.

As the vehicle approached the intersection, the pedestrian walked out into the path of the vehicle and was struck by the front bumper, police said.

He suffered severe head trauma and was transported to Staten Island University Hospital, Ocean Breeze, where he was pronounced dead.

"He was full of life and energy," said Rabbi Gerald Sussman of Temple Emanu-El in Port Richmond, who knew Turetsky for more than 25 years. "He was a person of strength and character, and was full of love."

Turetsky was born in Brooklyn and lived in many cities across the United States when he was growing up. But, he eventually settled on Staten Island and went to Susan Wagner High School.

Soon after he graduated, he became a successful jack-of-all-trades. In his 20s, he ran a high-profile security firm in Brooklyn that gained attention for arresting child molesters and thieves.

Then he found his love for building and construction. Turetsky, who could make anything with his hands, and his brother were part of many successful projects at the Staten Island Mall.

He did a lot of renovation and even built the display that houses the Holocaust memorial scrolls at Temple Emanu-El.

In the past decade, he became a highly respected building inspector.

"He was bringing us around buildings since we were babies," Jacob said. "He taught us to build and how to use every material. He very much influenced what me and my brother do today."

"When were in high school (Susan Wagner), we were active in the theater department and my dad would help us build multiple sets at the school," said his son, Aaron, 21. "He was very active in our lives."

Turetsky and his wife, Nina Geiger-Cole, were married two years ago. The happy couple exchanged vows at the Wailing Wall in Israel, and visited Paris and London.

His trip to Israel was especially moving because he lived there with his mother as small child, and felt a sense of home during his visit.

"It was very special to him," Jacob said. "He said when he got off the plane, it felt like home to him. He brought back sand and rocks and with him."

Turestsky was also very active in the Jewish community on Staten Island.

During his time at Temple Emanu-El, he was president of the men's club and organized various programs and activities, many of which live on today.

One of the more popular programs was called the "The Night Before," where Jewish families would gather at the temple on Christmas Eve and watch movies together.

"He did so many great things," Sussman said. "Jewish people were dear to him. He was a wonderful person. We're so saddened by it. We're heartbroken."

Besides building, he enjoyed boating, fishing, dancing, martial arts and horses. He kept a boat at Mariners Harbor and lived to be on the water. He was a six-degree black belt and took odd jobs taking care of horses when he was a kid.

"We are all reeling from his death," said Sussman's wife, Rebbitzen Bonita Sussman. "We were really close, he was a good friend. It's such a tragedy."

Turestky is survived by his brothers, Roy Kaplan, Melvin Kaplan and Sheldon Turestky; sister, Wittei-Joy Gerage; stepson, Glen Cole; and stepdaughter, Carmela Chicola.

The funeral will be Friday at Meislohn-Silvie Funeral Home at 10:30 a.m. He will be buried at United Hebrew Cemetery.

I'd guess a 70s Lochinvar. The draft hood is built into the cabinet.

It's in the building planning section (chapter 3). There is an exception to installing an operable window in a bathroom/toilet room if artificial light and mechanical ventilation are provided.

When the spalled bricks have eroded back about 3/8", patch them with Lithomex.

What's the shape of the pellets?

How about a shower in a basement? Can the drain pipe do a 90 then travel horizontally farther than 24" before dumping into a trap?

I've seen some major failures when excavating for underpinning. Benching would be my advice.

Near a connection to a box or fixture the 3" separation from the hot to neutral is not possible so an additional protective woven sleeve (loom) should be installed from the last knob.

I'm always amused when folks see some spots on a wall and they immediately get multiple health symptoms they found on the internet.

With all the crap I crawl around in almost every day, I should have been dead decades ago.

Denny's pics looks like DuroLast, which is PVC.

Jeez Kurt. I just don't get that excited about sanitary tees on their side anymore.

Tympanum? aren't they triangular? I would have called it simply a medallion located[/] in the tympanum.

I see that shape and style more in federal houses than in greek revival and more often as a niche on the wall or in the center of a ceiling.

edit: it does fill the entire area know as the tympanum, but I have this image of a triangle when I see the word.

Marc is correct. It's a unique design to have below a pointed pediment, but it's still a tympanum.

[br At our last provincial association meeting all veteran HIs told me 70-80% of calls they get are from realtors giving them clients...

Never seen a boiler with my own eyes this far south.

Edge chipping/clipping to limestone is caused by mishandling in transit or installation, impact damage (steps) or Portland cement used for repointing.

Easy to rule out the first 2 and identify Portland in the mortar joints.

Dammit that's sad. We've worked with him for almost 2 decades. Great, great guy to have known.

Among HIs, he wasn't like most of us that just bitch about our gig. He continually went above and beyond to better our profession - in the unforgiving spotlight and behind the scenes.

Talk to your doctor about your symptoms without discussing anything about your basement.

Would limewash nourish that brick enough to stop or reduce the dusting, or would it (more or less) just seal the dust so it wasn't all over the floor?

It looks like the same brick was used for the exterior walls. They were in great shape.

If they hired a contractor to 'fix' it, they'd probably make it worse.

If they did nothing, it would probably need attention in another 50-75 years.

If someone wants to intervene and not do harm, they can patch the severely eroded bricks (more than 5/8") with a lime-based brick-patching mortar.

They can chisel out and insert Buckingham slate at the bottom of the wall to reduce the wicking moisture.

If the red dust bothers them, they can apply a lime-wash.

I take as many sections of Rt 30 that I have time for when I go to Pittsburgh. From Breezewood to Chambersburg are the hills that the bikers like but they ride real slow.

I wish I had time to explore the little towns between Chambersburg and Gettysburg. Rt 30 bypasses some of the towns where 'Main Street' was really the route of the Lincoln Hwy. Always take 'Old Rt 30'.

Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival is mid-August. I probably can't make it this year.

Yes, it's cast stone with many previous attempts at repairs before the elastomeric coating was applied. There's no useful repair that will do anything long term. It was all cast with a horrible mix.

Around here there are many 75-120 year-old all cast stone buildings and buildings with cast stone details that have survived quite well.

Hardi.

1. Have an experienced carpenter install it - not siding contractors

2. The sheathing behind it has to be perfect or it will have unsightly bulges

3. Leave a clearance above roofs and above any horizontal surface

4. Paint the cuts before installing

5. Throw some bib flashings behind butt joints.

A large majority of the many problems I've found can be attributed to ignoring 1-3.

I kinda liked the stuff when it first came out and I don't like anything that doesn't have a proven record over 100 years. After Chad endorsed it here, I put it on a large addition to my home. Probably 10-11 years ago.

Like Chad, I put some unpainted panels laying on the ground and in my pond. It's just now beginning to show some delamination.

Here's a poll and seven pages of comments on the topic:

https://inspectorsjournal.com/forum/top ... IC_ID=2441