Lousy T-Mobile reception in Park Slope ...

dailyheights

... May not get better any time soon:

Park Slope Cell Rage Roils a Co-op on a Historic Block
New York Times

Like many shareholders in his 72-unit co-op in Park Slope, Brooklyn, Jay Joe Jakubowitz was furious in July when he received a letter from the building's board ...

Read more...

jack

I personally don't have issues with cell-phone arrays being installed on the tops of buildings. Yeah, maybe that would change if it were right over my head. But part of me thinks the co-op boards 'outrage' might be anchored in the price they will be getting for this.

According to the article:
"In exchange, the co-op will receive $1,800 a month from T-Mobile USA."

and

"...the 15-year contract..."

$1,800 a month for any Park Slope property--let alone something straight in the most desireable part of Park Slope--seems like a bargain. It should probably be $5,000 a month. Especially considering this is a commercial installation and T-Mobile has deep pockets to say the least.

The co-op will only get $21,600 per year before taxes. And after the 15 year contract is said and done, they would have gotten $324,000. Quite a damned bargain when you realize that Park Slope real estate has more than doubled in the past 15 years.

The co-op could probably make more by--for example--building an addition on the top of the building and selling that property for $500,000 outright. $1,800 a month? I'd be upset as well!

anonymous

What a completely bone-headed move by the co-op board.

And I'll bet the shareholders were asleep at the wheel too. I'm not surprised there wasn't more opposition before the deal was done. People in co-ops fall into two varieties:

1) Control-freaks (these folks run for office)

and

2) Totally apathetic (they only perk up at the 11th hour when they realize something might actually negatively effect them).

I hate co-ops.

jamzer

There is no proof that cell phone towers cause any damage to anyone. I only wish they were adding a Sprint antenna too!

ppwgal

So, who are the best cell service providers in the Slope? I need a new phone and may switch providers... I have Sprint now and it's ok though I often can't get a signal around GAP near the subway entrance. And I don't get a signal in my apartment, but didn't get one with T-Mobile either, so I've kind of lost hope there.

anonymous

Subject: Verizon Cell Service

ppwgal wrote: So, who are the best cell service providers in the Slope? I need a new phone and may switch providers... I have Sprint now and it's ok though I often can't get a signal around GAP near the subway entrance. And I don't get a signal in my apartment, but didn't get one with T-Mobile either, so I've kind of lost hope there.

Verizon is the 500-pound gorilla. They tend to have the best coverage in this area, by far.