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Major Issues for District 2




On the Lower East Side, Trash Still Piles Up

August 13, 2004

By Sophie Brickman

Over the years, community gardens and buildings have replaced most of the dirty vacant lots on the lower East Side. But a few have remained, blighting the neighborhood and angering residents.

The issue gained prominence in June when a dead body was found in an abandoned lot on 13th Street between 2nd and 3rd avenues. A woman had apparently been murdered elsewhere, her body stuffed into a trunk which was then left on the lot. Neighbors, who once saw the lot as a nuisance, now viewed it as a threat.

"It's an eyesore and it's dangerous," said Dawn Roberts, who lives a few doors down from the lot. "People are always getting into drunken fights in it, and there are broken bottles everywhere. Trash is a problem, and it invites bad things."

The story of the 13th Street lot indicates how hard it can be to clean vacant lots. The site has stood vacant since the Jefferson Theater was demolished in 1999. Its owner, Builtgross L.L.P., a partner of Milstein Properties, says housing is slated for the lot, with construction expected to begin within a year. ''We have worked assiduously to keep the lot clean,'' George Arzt, a spokesperson for Milstein Properties, told the New York Times. ''It's an ongoing problem.'' Residents, though, say no one looks after the property or cleans it.

In general, individuals or businesses are responsible for maintaining any abandoned lots they own. If they don't, the Department of Sanitation intervenes. First, it sends a letter to the owner. If that fails to get results, the department seeks a court order from a judge that will allow city workers to clean up the property.

But this can drag on for months or even years, said City Councilmember Margarita Lopez. Going through the court system can be slow, and the sanitation department is busy. "The new reality of the community is that you have so many new buildings and residences that the Department of Sanitation is completely overwhelmed," said Lopez.

The sheer number of people visitors and residents in the area leads to litter on the streets and vacant lots of the lower East Side. A lack of garbage cans and delayed garbage pickup encourages people to dump their trash on the street and in lots.

"We do have a lot of complaints that we have overflowing receptacles on all the street corners, because as much as the sanitation department picks it up, we have a lot of people coming through the area. It's ongoing," said Susan Stetzer, district manager of Community Board 3.

And while residents worry about the trash in their neighborhood, many cite more pressing needs, such as affordable housing and jobs. The community board's needs statement for 2005, stating its priorities for the year, focuses on affordable housing and the threat gentrification poses to independent businesses in the area. It also notes that rodents and mosquitoes live around piles of garbage on the street, posing a health danger. But the report holds out little hope for long-term change "Unfortunately," it says, "after an initial public education campaign the city's efforts [to solve the problem] seem to have subsided."

Related Story:
Clean Streets
Issue of The Week (August 16, 2004)





Retailers Struggle, Bars Prosper

April 22, 2004

Retailers on the Lower East SIde have been struggling to stay open, thanks to a huge dropoff in business since 9/11. Meanwhile, a proliferation of liquor licensed establishments in the area has bars and restaurants thriving, but has also led to noise complaints.



Cooper Union Expands

July 31, 2003

Cooper Union plans to develop several pieces of its property in the Lower East Side. Some residents have expressed their opposition to the project at community meetings. They are concerned that the reconstruction of two buildings into larger buildings and a new 20-story hotel will reduce sunlight in the neighborhood and that traffic will increase.




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ALL DISTRICT 2 MAJOR ISSUES
On the Lower East Side, Trash Still Piles Up
(Aug 13, 2004)

Retailers Struggle, Bars Prosper
(Apr 22, 2004)

Cooper Union Expands
(Jul 31, 2003)

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