The scaffolding surrounds a city-owned building that is used as a homeless shelter. It went up four years ago to prevent parts of the deteriorating facade from falling onto the sidewalk. But since then, the city hasn't done anything to repair that facade.
"I think the city should be embarrassed about any scaffolding around any city building," City Councilman Ben Kallos said.
This scaffolding highlights a citywide problem of landlords erecting sidewalk sheds and not taking them down.
One building has had scaffolding since 2006. Another in East Harlem has had one for ten years, as has a building in Chelsea, all of which are seen in the video above.
Kallos has proposed legislation to end the nuisances and eyesores of perpetual scaffoldings.
"Anytime somebody puts up the scaffolding, they have to immediately start work or take it back down, and if they can't afford to do the work, the city would end up doing for them and charging for them later," Kallos said.
There are 7,800 active sidewalk shed permits, half of which are in Manhattan.
A law requires owners of buildings taller than six stories to erect scaffolding every five years to inspect the facades.
Landlords who don't make the repairs in 90 days face fines of $1,000 a month. But some choose to leave the scaffolding up and pay the fines to avoid costly facade repairs.
7 comments:
While I admire the intention of the new legislation, I have a problem with the part where he says "if they can't afford to do the work, the city would end up doing for them and charging for them later,"
If they couldn't afford to do the work in the first place, how is the City going to collect from them later, presumably at a higher price?
Just another bullshit thing in this totally fucked up city. AND this scaffolding becomes a hangout for not only homeless, but in communities like Jamaica another place for low-class do nothing ghetto folks to hang out, use drugs and sell them as well. Just like bodegas in these type of neighborhood attract do nothings but trouble folks, so does this scaffolding.
But of course this PC city would never say something like this, since it is the truth.
The unintended consequences of government...
So here is the deal.
DeBozo and his cronies voted for no rent increase for years.
On one hand.
On the other hand the landlords are repairing their buildings, some of them are really falling apart, elevator issues, facade isssues, boiler issues, etc, etc - and they claim capital improvements which in turn gets a rent increase $30-60 per room!
Like Wall Street - they don't share their profits, but they make sure we all pay for their losses.
A totally fucked up system if you ask me.
The way I understand the construction awnings work, is that the materials are rented from the company that erected them. I could be totally wrong about that, but if I'm right that just means they're piling on more costs by letting the awning stand.
New York City Department of Education has had scaffolding around 28-11 Queens Plaza North with nothing being done to the outside of the building. What a waste to tax payers money plus sit ugly.
Some of the scaffolds are poorly maintained and dangerous. However it is a lot better than seeing someone's head cracked open from falling building parts, which was the original motivation. http://www.nytimes.com/1979/05/17/archives/falling-masonry-fatally-injures-barnard-student-what-could-i-do.html
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