15 Years with Locked Windows: Why New Yorkers Don't See the Sunshine

For 15 years, residents of a house in New York have been waiting for the scaffolding in front of the building to be removed, and now they are demanding answers regarding the too lengthy renovation of the facade. Pix 11 news.

“I hate these scaffolding,” said a resident of the building, who did not want to be named. "The scaffolding has been here for 15 years, it's outrageous."

When the carport was first built in 2006, residents of 51 West 86th Street thought it was a cost to live in a big city - a temporary but necessary nuisance for construction work. But 15 years later, the canopy, which spoils the view and blocks the access of sunlight to the apartments, is still standing, and scaffolding and nets take up space all the way to the top of the 16-story building. At the same time, practically no repair work was carried out on the building for 15 years. And the tenants are tired of it.

“Tenants must be notified of the status and plans for refurbishment of the façade,” said tenant association vice president David Rosen. "And when they will be completed."

For some longtime residents who live in front of the building, scaffolding and nets are more than just a headache.

“They block the sunlight and block our view of the sidewalk,” said Roberta Maxwell. "They also have a flock of pigeons and everyone knows what that means, it's a matter of health and safety."

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The New York City Housing Authority is aware of this problem, but argues that forests are essential.

“Sidewalk awnings are essential in our city to protect pedestrians from buildings that have begun to collapse. Landlords at 51 West 86th Street are legally responsible for maintaining their buildings in a safe condition and making any necessary facade repairs. We will continue to aggressively target landlords to force them to make necessary repairs to the building, ”said management spokesman Andrew Rudanski.

But the tenants are tired of waiting and demand changes from the officials.

“Politicians and landlords need to act faster because the city is littered with scaffolding, there are no laws that really protect us all,” Leanne Richie said.

Official background of the question:

• The owners of the 51 West 86th Street home previously had permits to renovate the façade, but the work was never completed and those permits expired in October 2019. The owners also recently refused to provide the Housing Authority with the required reports on the condition of the façade.
• As a result of the owners' failure to carry out renovations to ensure the safety of the façade, the management charged the owners with several violations. Building owners will have to pay approximately $ 108 in civil fines. These fines will continue to rise if owners continue to take no further steps to renovate their building's façade.

The building's owner, Jake Weinreb, did not respond to repeated calls and emails from reporters.