The commissioner of the city Department of Buildings resigned Thursday after being questioned about his gambling history by investigators from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
“This morning, Eric Ulrich tendered his resignation as DOB commissioner in an effort to, in his words, avoid ‘unnecessary distraction for the Adams administration,’” mayoral spokesperson Fabien Levy said in a statement. “We have accepted his resignation, appreciate him taking this step, and wish him well.”
The DA’s office declined to comment.
Ulrich was approached by investigators and had his phone seized Tuesday morning in accordance with a search warrant near his home in Rockaway Park, Queens, according to The New York Times. The nature of the investigation is unclear, as is whether Ulrich is a central or peripheral figure to it. The alleged activity in question apparently happened prior to his joining the Adams administration.
Ulrich has had brushes with the gambling world in the past. In 2018, when he was a City Council member, he wrote a letter supporting a constituent, Robert Pisani, who had ties to the Bonanno crime family and who was set to be sentenced on federal gambling charges.
According to an article in the Daily News, in 2016 Ulrich reported personal income from gambling ranging between $5,000 and $47,999 to the city’s Conflicts of Interest Board. The news report said Ulrich collected more than $50,000 from state lottery winnings last year.
In addition to his stint on the council, Ulrich mounted campaigns for a 2012 state Senate race and for the 2019 city public advocate race. In January he was appointed as a senior adviser to Adams, and in May he was appointed to the commissioner position.
Adams has filled a number of positions in his administration with people who had controversial pasts, saying he believes in second chances.
Earlier this week Adams said he would not remove Ulrich from his position.
“Eric is still the commissioner there,” Adams said. “The DA’s office is going to do their review, that review will determine how we move forward.”
It is unknown whether the Adams administration was aware that Ulrich had gambling ties when he was being vetted for his appointment.
Kazimir Vilenchik, first deputy commissioner of the Buildings Department, has been named interim commissioner. He has been working in the department since 2008 and has been involved in universal pre-K, pandemic response and Superstorm Sandy flood mitigation efforts.
