Council Member Jessica Lappin called the resignation of Buildings Commissioner Patricia Lancaster a "necessary step for this city."

"Something clearly needed to change," Lappin said in a statement.  "New leadership is essential to restore faith in what appears to be a broken system."

Lancaster announced her decision to step down on April 22 after meeting with Mayor Michael Bloomberg that morning.  She had come under fire in recent weeks, particularly after she disclosed that the Department of Buildings should not have issued permits to the East Side building that was the site of last month's crane collapse.  State Sen. Liz Krueger had called for Lancaster's resignation in the immediate wake of the March 15 crane collapse.

In a statement, Bloomberg praised Lancaster's efforts to root out corruption, strengthen inspections and oversight, and increase public access to information at the agency.

"Patricia leaves a strong foundation of reform and improvement for her successors to build on, and I thank her for her dedication to making New York City a far better place to live, work and visit," the mayor said.