West End Avenue Project Worries Residents
Manhattan residents have become grudgingly accustomed to living with the inconveniences of constant construction projects. But a group of residents living near a narrow building site on West End Avenue say that their daily strife goes beyond the normal annoyances and needs to be addressed more thoroughly by the city.
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Landlord Forced to Halt Illegal Construction
Tenants of the landmarked building at 101 West 85th Street, known in its heyday as The Brockholst Apartments, are hoping that their home doesn’t collapse before their eyes. In dealing with what several tenants claim is an irresponsible and unresponsive landlord, residents are worried that their latest problem, illegal construction in the basement, could cause structural problems for the 122-year-old building.
An Eyesore for Sore Eyes
Are there ways to get rid of construction sheds that never come down?
Sometimes a solution becomes a problem of its own. Sidewalk sheds, a frequent sight on the streets of the city, are what go up when a building’s façade starts coming down, but they create their own issues—dark, shady passageways blocking off local businesses, a visual blight on a neighborhood. The purpose of these sheds is to protect passersby from construction or from an immediate safety concern.
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A NEW SUBTERRANEAN WAY
A view looking north through a completed section of the No. 7 subway line extension. Farther down the tunnel, a drilling machine is heading north from West 34th Street to West 42nd Street to create the new extension that will connect the line to the Hudson Yards vicinity. For more subway construction photos, visit our gallery. Photo by Andrew Schwartz
Apartment Burglarized
An apartment under construction was ransacked Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. Police said that a woman working at a real estate company reported a burglary in the second floor apartment at 163 W. 80th St., between Amsterdam and Columbus avenues. The front door was unlocked, according to cops, and several large items were missing, such as a $600 microwave, an $1,860 washer-dryer, and copper pipe.
WORRIES OVER COLUMBUS SQ. CONSTRUCTION
Park West Village residents near the Columbus Square development met with Department of Buildings officials earlier this month to discuss safety in the area.
The Dec. 3 meeting, held at Second Presbyterian Church on Central Park West and West 96th Street, was organized after an Oct. 8 crane malfunction caused a counterweight to crash through a pedestrian sidewalk. There were no fatalities or injuries, but the crane accident rankled residents who were already angered by the history of safety incidents at the West 97th Street development.
“How can we be sure construction will be safe for residents in surrounding communities?” said Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito, who co-hosted the event. “This is an opportunity to have a dialogue.”
The buildings department officials told the crowd of 50 that two more cranes will be used in construction of Columbus Square, at 795 and 805 Columbus Ave.
To protect against future accidents, Donald Ranshte, director of comm-unity affairs at the Department of Buildings, said that pedestrians need to be prohibited from using the walkway while a crane is hoisting a load. Though there are flagmen on construction sites to keep pedestrians out of harm’s way, Ranshte told the crowd to report unsafe situations.
“We like to try and enforce it, but if you see it, you might want to call 311,” Ranshte said.
One resident asked about crane inspections to prevent future accidents. But Michael Alacha, assistant commissioner for engineering and emergency operations, noted that there are annual inspections and daily maintenance.
“Mechanical failure could not have been predicted,” Alacha said.
Paul Bunten, head of the community group Westsiders for Public Participation, felt that nearby residents are not equipped to enforce the law and said he was still concerned about the construction site.
“We still don’t have a solution from this meeting,” Bunten said afterward.
Construction in ‘Vacant’ Building
Among the brownstones and high rises on West 103rd Street between West End Avenue and Riverside Drive, there is one building that appears to be abandoned.
Scaffolding hugs the façade, permits from the Department of Buildings plaster the glass front door and windows are covered in plastic.
But there are actually six tenants living at 315 W. 103rd St. Their home has become a permanent construction site because the landlord apparently falsified a building permit.
Two years ago, Jacob Avid of Dan-Bran Realty LLC bought the building and applied for permits to build a two-story rooftop and rear-yard addition. The permits stated that the eight-unit building was vacant, but it was actually occupied. Read more
CHABAD SCHOOL EXPANSION OK’D
The city’s Landmark Preservation Commission approved a controversial school expansion into the rear-yards of neighbors of the Chabad School, on West 86th Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West.
The project would allow Chabad of the West Side Synagogue and Pre-school to take over two landmark-protected brownstones, 43-45 W. 86th St. The brownstones had two tenants living in them, one in a rent-stabilized unit.
In June, Community Board 7 sided with neighbors and voted down the plan. The Landmarks Commission, however, unanimously approved the plan after Chabad reduced the rear-yard expansion and adjusted the floor height.
“The owner addressed the concerns the commission raised at the public meeting,” said Elisabeth de Bourbon, a commission spokesperson.
Chabad spokesperson Hank Sheinkopf said the organization would continue to be considerate and a “good neighbor.”
“We enjoy a good reputation and look forward to continuing that,” Sheinkopf said.
Helen Rosenthal, the community board’s chair, is establishing a committee to follow construction, which is slated for completion in 2013.
“The community board stands ready to help all parties involved,” Rosenthal said. “The construction committee will keep information about what’s going on very accessible.”
Crane Crushes Sidewalk Shed
A crane accident on the afternoon of Oct. 8 partly crushed scaffolding that covers a pedestrian walkway at the northeast corner of Columbus Avenue and West 97th Street.
Department of Buildings spokesperson Ryan Fitzgibbon said it was not a major accident and there were no reported injuries. The incident occurred, she said, as workers were dismantling the crane, at 775 Columbus Ave., and a counterweight fell, damaging the sidewalk shed. The 13-story, mixed-use building was under construction and is stable, according to Fitzgibbon.
United with Union
To the Editor:
Thank you for reporting on the switch to non-union labor at the massive-scale Park West Village construction site, referred to as Columbus Square in your article (“Columbus Sq. Labor Fracas,” Aug. 6). About a week before your article appeared, I sent a letter to the Chetrit Group decrying this latest slight to our community. The developer’s decision is not only short sighted but potentially dangerous. It is disheartening to know that these buildings will not only take away open space and impose untold traffic and noise, but will be financed by forgoing livable wages, local jobs and job site safety. The developer should immediately reverse its decision.
Daniel O’Donnell
Assembly Member, 69th District
Letters have been edited for clarity, style and brevity.
