On the Lower East Side, Trash Still Piles UpAugust 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 ProsperApril 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 ExpandsJuly 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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