Photo: Bobby Panza
Residents of West 69th Street between Central Park West and Columbus have recently shared their thoughts on the construction site – quite literally on it – on the south side of their once quiet street.
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Letterhead titled “How the construction of 50 W. 69th St has affected me” was plastered all over the project’s scaffolding, and residents were very quick to share the impact it has had on their lives.
Photo: Bobby Panza
In 2011 and 2012, UWS landlord Phil Widlanski sold two of his buildings – 48 and 50 West 69th Street – to a wealthy couple for $24.5 million.
The couple – Malou Beauvoir, a Haitian-American jazz singer, and her husband Pierre Bastid, a multifaceted business exec who also happens to be a Julliard trustee – had the buildings demolished in 2018, at which point, a barrage of noise, fumes, vibrations and traffic began driving block residents mad.
An April 2019 story by The New York Times, detailing the couple’s addition of a basement pool, brought the situation into the spotlight.
And now, residents have taken their own measures to make sure it stays in the spotlight.
Photo: Bobby Panza
Photo: Bobby Panza
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Photo: Bobby Panza
Photo: Bobby Panza
Photo: Bobby Panza
Photo: Bobby Panza
Photo: Bobby Panza
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Photo: Bobby Panza
Photo: Bobby Panza
Photo: Bobby Panza
Photo: Bobby Panza
Photo: Bobby Panza
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Photo: Bobby Panza
Photo: Bobby Panza
Photo: Bobby Panza
Not all of the forms have been filled out, and at least one local hasn’t found the disruption to be too much of a big deal.
Photo: Bobby Panza
This building site is a MAJOR disruption. I live on the north side of 68th and there is literally construction noise all day – oftentimes on the weekend as well. Even now, years later, you would think the place would be completed, but it is not even close. The basement foundation has barely been finished and there is no meaningful amount of work done. We are in for more torture over the coming years…all for these two idiots who are, frankly, not welcome.
Tired:
I’m sure calling 311 is really super effective. /s As would be complaining to Helen Rosenthal.
Is the construction site good or “good” about keeping the posted construction permits up to date? Or does construction continue even when the permits have expired? That could be an approach.
Until about Oct. 1st 2021 one could look up permits on the NYC dot gov Dept of Buildings website, but the City has totally screwed that up. A few weeks ago, the City restored the capacity to at least be able to look up the building your interested in, so perhaps the City will restore the capacity to read all of the permits for a site in a single place some time in the next few months.
As soon as construction is done, I’d be launching a brick through their windows. Let them feel some discomfort.
There should be a ratio calculated for every construction permit of people served by the project vs people negatively affected by the work itself. Then base the parameters of the permit on that. When two people are disturbing thousands for their own personal mansion the permit should allow for work four hours a week.
You don’t understand how it works, Mark. You have the money, you pay off the officials and then you get any and everything you want. “The Two New Yorks”
Geez, talk about first world problems. As long as the homeowners are following the laws, the neighbors need to get a life. None of your business.
Also, LOL at the comically entitled comments. A small building construction site is allegedly “torture”. People threatening to throw bricks through windows if the site isn’t completed according to their schedules. Wild allegations that the city is being bribed. Claims that the future residents are “idiots”. Get a life.
Do you always agree with the law? The law clearly isn’t working well if two people’s vanity project is allowed to disrupt thousands of other people almost every day for years. The Times story describes years of neighbors’ misery and that story was written in April 2019 and it’s still going on almost three years later. I’m surprised people aren’t throwing more things already. Some of those apartments above the site shown in the Times story are good launching points.
I agree though the knee-jerk conspiracy theories about payoffs are ridiculous without evidence. It’s easy to say that about anything, and people do, from building permits to bike lanes to Soho rezoning, it’s always the same allegation.
I wish I could be as painfully ignorant as you appear to be.
As for the people who have lived through the years long construction, pollution and noise, had their street blocked day in and day out to everyone including emergency personnel, the sidewalk torn up and unusable because the work site effectively extends to the street – yeah, we need to get a life. When emergency personnel can’t get through, when the buildings around the site shake all day from jackhammers going constantly – yeah, we need to get a life. And guess what, their building disrupting the quality of life for other residents IS the business of neighbors.
Does anyone know how much longer it is supposed to last?