Scaffold Covers UWS Building For 15 Years, Residents Say

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — Residents of an Upper West Side building that's been swathed in scaffolding for the past 15 years say they've been kept in the dark by management – and are now demanding action.

The scaffolding shed first went up outside a building at 51 West 86th Street in 2006. Then, on Oct. 6, 2020, without warning, the scaffolding was extended along with a new net to the full height of the 16-story property, according to longtime residents and neighbors of the Upper West Side building.

The unannounced scaffolding shed extension was the straw that broke the camel's back for residents that have grown increasingly frustrated over the lack of communication surrounding the construction and never-ending scaffolding in front of the UWS building throughout the past 15 years.

"Scaffolding destroys the quality of residential life in the city. The sidewalk shed at our building has been up since 2006 — with no communication from our landlord about it ever," David Rosen, a resident of the UWS building and vice president of the 51 West 86th Street Tenants' Association, told Patch. "Then the scaffolding was extended up the building facade in October of 2020 and yet there has been no work done since then, in more than eight months."

The sidewalk shed in front of 51 West 86th Street is currently in place as pedestrian protection against unsafe facade conditions of the brick building, which is in "a state of disrepair," according to a spokesperson from the Department of Buildings.

“Sidewalk sheds are a necessity in our city to protect pedestrians from buildings that have been allowed to fall into disrepair," the DOB spokesperson told Patch. "The landlords at 51 West 86th Street have a legal responsibility to keep their building in a safe condition and make needed repairs to the facade, so that the shed in front of their building can be safely removed, returning valuable street space to their fellow New Yorkers. We will continue to take aggressive actions against these landlords, to compel them to make the needed repairs at the building."

The owners of the Upper West Side building had permits to repair the facade, however, the work was never completed and the property owners allowed those permits to expire in October 2019, the DOB spokesperson added.

The scaffolding extension at 51 West 86th Street that happened in October 2020 aligns with a permit filed on October 6, 2020, for facade repairs, terra cotta replacement, and waterproofing at the address, according to a document filed with the city.

The permit was closed, though, on Nov. 4, 2020.

Due to the expired permits, the 51 West 86th Street address does not appear on the Department of Building's map of active sidewalk sheds.

As a result of the property's failure to comply with Department of Building facade regulations, the DOB has issued multiple violations to the owners to the tune of $108,000 in civil penalties, according to a spokesperson.

The landlord of the UWS building, Weinreb Management Company, has not answered multiple requests for comment from Patch.

Additionally, Council Member Helen Rosenthal reportedly told residents of the building that there is currently a stop-work order on the property due to Local Law 11, which requires buildings that are six stories or taller to have their facades regularly inspected.

The inspection can be very expensive for both landlords and building co-ops.

Tenant concerns about the scaffolding shed include the obstruction of light and views, presence of excessive dust, various safety concerns, excessive dog urine, presence of bugs and pigeons, and worries about the potential of the scaffolding falling given how long it has stood.

"For years, New Yorkers have understood that scaffolding is a necessary evil, but landlords are taking advantage of lax enforcement," Lianne Ritchie, the president of the 51 West 86th Street Tenant's Association, told Patch. "The result has been endless violations and minimal fines which are clearly useless. We are sick of the pigeons and pigeon droppings, the dust and filth, and on and on. It's time for the city to do something."

The 51 West 86th Street address is also within the Upper West Side/Central Park West Historic District, but due to the lack of response from the building's landlord, it is unclear how this landmark designation might have played a part in slowing repairs.

Residents of the Upper West Side building have reached out to the Department of Building's office of the Tenant Advocate in hopes of receiving help with the scaffolding that was first installed a year after former Mayor Michael Bloomberg was beginning his second of three terms.

"Our light is obstructed and everyone has concerns about security, about dirt and dust, and more generally about safety and quality of life issues," said 51 West 86th Street resident Ellen Adler.