Scaffolding Has Covered This UES Sidewalk For Over A Decade

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — A sidewalk shed first went up around 1772 Second Ave. in 2010, aiming to prevent falling debris from injuring workers during the upcoming construction of the Second Avenue Subway.

In the ensuing 11 years, the avenue was torn up and the subway line was built. But the ungainly wood-and-metal shed has remained in place between East 92nd and 93rd streets.

"It’s very ugly-looking and it’s like a pigeon coop," said resident Mary Jane De Froscia, referring to the flock of birds that have roosted in the structure for years, covering the sidewalk with droppings and feathers.

Residents say the building parapet, which was the original source of the debris concerns, has never been repaired. They pin blame on the building's owner, Neighborhood Restore: a nonprofit affiliated with the city, whom residents have been battling for years over a host of other upkeep issues, and who they believe is trying to drive them out in order to redevelop the site.

The shed at 1772 may be the worst offender on the Upper East Side, according to the Department of Buildings's interactive map of active sidewalk shed permits. (The city distinguishes sidewalk sheds, which protect pedestrians, from scaffolds, which serve as platforms for construction workers.)

But it's far from the only long-term nuisance: two blocks north, the shed at 302 East 95th St. has been up for more than eight years, permits show. The scaffold at the Chapin School on East End Avenue has remained for six years, while another at 1080 Lexington Ave. is approaching its seventh birthday.

Repairs delayed

City Councilmember Ben Kallos called out the shed at 1772 Second Ave. on Twitter this week, part of a weeklong series in which he plans to draw attention to sidewalk sheds across the city that have overstayed their welcome.

It is a signature issue for Kallos, who since 2016 has been pushing for legislation that would require building owners to make repairs within 180 days of reporting an unsafe condition. The bill has stalled in the City Council, amid opposition from real estate groups.

"New Yorkers need to demand it at this point," Kallos said of his bill. "Landlords don’t want to do the work, they don’t want to take care of their buildings."

Kallos said he has tried to persuade the city to offer decent, temporary apartments to the residents of 1772 Second Ave., where they could stay while much-needed repairs are carried out.

A spokesperson for the city's housing department, which manages Neighborhood Restore, attributed the shed's longevity to a major renovation "that has experienced delays."

Scaffolding is meant to protect pedestrians, not to stay up forever.

No one should be living under scaffolding for ELEVEN YEARS, yet residents on 93rd & 2nd Ave are.

These conditions may be normalized in NYC, but the truth is tenants deserve better. pic.twitter.com/PqeQNKu6yI
— Ben Kallos (@kallos) July 26, 2021

"We are currently working with residents on a plan that will allow the rehabilitation work to be completed," the spokesperson said.

A rep for the Department of Buildings, meanwhile, said the shed remains necessary due to "multiple unsafe conditions," including damaged window lintels, cracks in the brick facade, and structural concerns at the parapet and foundation.

The agency has visited 1772 Second Ave. multiple times in response to 311 complaints, and an April inspection resulted in a violation issued to the owner for failing to properly maintain the building.

"The building owners must make substantial repairs to the building’s exterior before the sidewalk shed can be safely removed," the DOB spokesperson said.

Email reporter Nick Garber at nick.garber@patch.com.

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• When 'Temporary' Scaffolding Turns Permanent In NYC
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