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GAP sidewalk obstruction - make way for millionaires! — Brooklynian

GAP sidewalk obstruction - make way for millionaires!

dailyheights
dailyheights
edited November -1 in Prospect Heights
*OK, a million dollars ain't what it used to be... So let's propose a new definition of Millionaire: anyone who won't think twice about plunking down a record-breaking (for Brooklyn) $1000+ per square foot for a condo...

Who would have thought? That's the sale price predicted a few months ago for units in Richard Meier's "super deluxe" 15-story glass tower on Grand Army Plaza in Prospect Heights, now under construction. This price is still a screaming bargain, of course, next to the current price of luxury luxury apartments in Manhattan, which according to the Daily News are now almost $1500 per square foot.

imageBut there’s a bigger story here about a smaller public space… at least for those of us Prospect Heights residents are already making way for millionaires every day as we try to squeeze past the blue plywood wall that’s blocking the public sidewalk.

The construction company drilled the foundations for this wall more than a foot into the cement sidewalk!

Is that legal? No idea – we are simply too dense to translate those obtuse building permits. Is it annoying? Just ask any pedestrian who’s forced off the sidewalk and onto the muddy, garbage-strewn strip of “grass” by oncoming strollers, dog-walkers, or the weekend hordes of PHers making their way to Prospect Park and the GAP Greenmarket. Hell, try to get past a single XXL pedestrian, for that matter – the sidewalk simply no longer adequately allows two-way traffic.

Is this what life will be like for the next two years? When the subject came up on the Prospect Heights Parents group on Yahoo!, there was some talk that local politicians (Tish? Marty? Hello?) could pressure the developer to move back the wall.

Somebody got in touch with somebody who actually knows something at the DOT, and according to them, the permit says they have to maintain a pedestrian walkway 5 feet wide. Uh... what pedestrian walkway? We don't see any. Anybody handing out citations yet?

No. In fact, somebody called 311, and they said, "Get over it, crybabies!" Well, not exactly... but apparently they claimed it had been inspected and that the passage is adequate. Uh... no.

What next? You can make noise, too: If this annoys you, then call DOT and reference complaint # C1-1-203530336. Now who's got their phone number?

Comments

  • metulj
    metulj
    The barrier measures an average of about 13" into the sidewalk (n=10). By law, it can't be more than a foot. Also, excavation and demolition can't start at 615AM in the City (correct me if I am wrong), but it does on that project, with loud yelling of instructions and attention getting whistles driving me more crazy than the machinery (hell, that's just background noise). A quick call of complaint to the job site was met with stoney silence and a forward to a voice mail box. A further bit of googling demonstrates that the excavating company seems to have sprung from the ether. I love this place. :evil:
  • alafairnadia
    alafairnadia
    bleh. I rarely walk on e. pkway but a few weeks ago, as I was making my way with a few DHers to the Royale field trip, I recall thinking that the blue wall was really irritating. I don't like being forced into the street by construction. what's next? scaffolding? watch me cross e.pkway at underhill and avoid that block for good.
  • stacey
    stacey
    I once learned a trick from someone about dealing with the City and big companies - send a certified letter to the City of New York as well as the company that errected the scaffolding, wall, etc., using the following language - "I am hereby putting you on notice that the sidewalk has a (fill in what the problem is). It has caused numerous accidents and mishaps, etc." Send a copy to the Department of Buildings as well. Calling is good but a certified letter creates a paper trail.

    Technically you cannot sue the City if they do not have "notice" of a defect. Once you use the term "on notice" it raises a red flag, i.e., someone got hurt and a lawsuit might be on the way. It also causes them to make the construction company comply with its regulations. It worked for me twice when I had a problem with a pothole in Boro Park.
  • qtrain
    qtrain
    Previous discussed in this thread (seriously, andy, try to keep up).

    Guest deianira123 noted that the permits require 5' of sidewalk.
    stacy wrote: It has caused numerous accidents and mishaps, etc.
    Sending a certified letter with false claims doesn't sound like a great idea.
  • metulj
    metulj
    qtrain wrote: Previous discussed in this thread (seriously, andy, try to keep up).

    Guest deianira123 noted that the permits require 5' of sidewalk.

    [quote=stacy]It has caused numerous accidents and mishaps, etc.
    Sending a certified letter with false claims doesn't sound like a great idea.

    Check out the permits hanging at the entrance to the site. It has a waiver for 4 feet. I might be daft and certainly not a lawyer, but it looks like a waiver of some sort.
  • qtrain
    qtrain
    metulj wrote: Check out the permits hanging at the entrance to the site. It has a waiver for 4 feet.
    Requiring 4' of sidewalk, or allowing them to occupy 4' of sidewalk? Maybe the waiver was in response to the earlier complaints.
  • stacey
    stacey
    qtrain wrote: Previous discussed in this thread (seriously, andy, try to keep up).

    Guest deianira123 noted that the permits require 5' of sidewalk.

    [quote=stacy]It has caused numerous accidents and mishaps, etc.
    Sending a certified letter with false claims doesn't sound like a great idea.

    You are right qtrain and to clear up my post: I didn't mean they had to copy it verbatim and I was also referring to some of the posts I have received from PHParents Yahoo group and I think there was a discussion there about people tripping and it being a hazard to the children and/or parents walking by. :)
  • metulj
    metulj
    qtrain wrote: [quote=metulj]Check out the permits hanging at the entrance to the site. It has a waiver for 4 feet.
    Requiring 4' of sidewalk, or allowing them to occupy 4' of sidewalk? Maybe the waiver was in response to the earlier complaints.

    Requiring 4' of sidewalk, IIRC.
  • alafairnadia
    alafairnadia
    stacey wrote: [quote=qtrain]Previous discussed in this thread (seriously, andy, try to keep up).

    Guest deianira123 noted that the permits require 5' of sidewalk.

    [quote=stacy]It has caused numerous accidents and mishaps, etc.
    Sending a certified letter with false claims doesn't sound like a great idea.

    You are right qtrain and to clear up my post: I didn't mean they had to copy it verbatim and I was also referring to some of the posts I have received from PHParents Yahoo group and I think there was a discussion there about people tripping and it being a hazard to the children and/or parents walking by. :)

    if anyone wants, I'll walk by there really drunk one night. chances are I'll hurt myself.
  • stacey
    stacey
    alafairnadia wrote: if anyone wants, I'll walk by there really drunk one night. chances are I'll hurt myself.
    Your amazing girl - the things you'll do for this neighborhood! :lol:
  • alafairnadia
    alafairnadia
    stacey wrote: [quote=alafairnadia]if anyone wants, I'll walk by there really drunk one night. chances are I'll hurt myself.
    Your amazing girl - the things you'll do for this neighborhood! :lol:

    right? I mean, it's bound to happen eventually -- I might get really confused walking out of sepia one day and think I live in the library and BAM, right into this blue wall, etc. :)
  • bk345
    bk345

    Subject: 311

    hey all- so it sadly sounds like the 4' fall is legal. That doesn't mean it can't be overturned though. It would be worth trying to get the Community Board (CB8- 718-467-5574) to officially object to the waiver, and then to ask Tish (District Office # 718-260-9191) to back that up. As far as morning start times, construction isn't allowed until 7am, but I'm pretty sure that they can be there earlier getting ready to work (which I assume is noisy).

    Also with 311 complaints it is better to have lots of different people call in, get complaint numbers, and then get the elected officials to follow up using the reference numbers.

    Anyone else think it is hilarious how much faster work at the Meier site is going compared to the work at the public library?! Private vs. City contracts... love it. So it goes...
  • moufaisbad
    moufaisbad
    the big bad blue wall is now white....perfect for graffiti bombing. not that i would do that of course but you know, just putting it out there
    :twisted:
    but seriously, i felt horrible the other day watching this woman trying to hold her toddlers hand, push her infant in a stroller and navigate that nightmare spot. she almost pushed the stroller over trying to get it through the mud next to that catwalk of a piece of concrete.
  • pete_c
    pete_c
    anyone want to help me make some really big stencils, put together a crew, and go tag the sh!t out of that wall?

    suggestions for messages quite welcome. nothing off the top of my head right now.
  • moufaisbad
    moufaisbad
    :D:D:D:D
  • dailyheights
    dailyheights
    How about -

    COMING SOON:
    EL CARNEVIENTO DE MEIER
  • metulj
    metulj
    pete_c wrote: anyone want to help me make some really big stencils, put together a crew, and go tag the sh!t out of that wall?

    suggestions for messages quite welcome. nothing off the top of my head right now.
    LOCK YOU DOORS

    WASH YOU HANDS
  • lnclnplcgentrifier
    lnclnplcgentrifier
    stroller moms unite: take back our right (to the goddamn sidewalk.)
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