CB 5 approves bldg. fence to block homeless
BY CHRISS WILLIAMS
Homeless individuals sleeping outside
of 26 West 17th St. in Chelsea
are being sent a clear message:
You’re not welcome.
Community Board 5 approved the building’s
application to install an overhead security
grille over its front recessed entrance
to deter the presence of sidewalk dwellers
on Feb. 13.
CB5’s Land Use, Housing, and Zoning
Committee chair Layla Law-Gisiko told the
board that the applicant was requesting the
grille due to its popularity as a site for the
homeless to gather. The Beaux-Art building
is a protected landmark in the city’s
Ladies Mile Historic District, and the
board’s approval is a recommendation to
the Landmarks Preservation Commission,
who will make the final ruling.
No evidence of a homeless encampment
exists presently but employees of one of the
building’s storefronts, Charles P. Rogers —
ironically a company that makes beds —
told The Villager that in the past they’ve
had to step over groups of individuals to
open the store in the morning but for the
most part are on friendly terms with the
neighborhood’s street homeless population.
The landlord reportedly reviewed other options
to deter sidewalk dwellers, such as
security lights before settling on the grille.
In a 2018 CB5 statement supporting
Mayor de Blasio’s 2019 budget proposal
to increase homeless services, the board
acknowledged that its community was a
frequent, visible destination for homeless
people and was committed to seeking
solutions.
This is not the first time such “hostile
architecture” has been used before. Last
week, Gothamist reported that the Metropolitan
Transit Authority removed the
backrests of platform benches to deter
homeless individuals from sleeping inside
the West 4th Street subway station.
CB 5’s decision comes in the wake of the
city’s “re-commitment” to ending homelessness.
In December, Mayor de Blasio
announced a “six-point action plan” to
end street homelessness by 2024, two years
after he will have left office. Last month,
New York City City Council Speaker, Corey
Johnson, released a 202-page report
entitled, “Our Homelessness Crisis: The
Case for Change” and Governor Cuomo
proposed doubling the funding in the city’s
Homeless Housing and Assistance Program
in his 2020 preliminary state budget.
PHOTO BY CHRISS WILLIAMS
If the Landmarks Preservation
Commission approves the security
grille, it would cover front
entrance of the building.
Spectrum store location opens on Lower East Side
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
A new Spectrum store location has opened
for business in the Lower East Side.
The store is located at 396 Grand
Street, between Clinton and Suffolk streets.
The newest Spectrum location is the ninth
store to open in Manhattan, allowing more city
residents to experience the variety of services
that Spectrum offers.
“Our new Spectrum stores provide an updated
design and enhancements for showcasing
innovation across the full suite of Spectrum
services,” said Pattie Eliason, Group Vice
President, Spectrum Stores. “Our representatives
will show customers the latest advances
in technology — including our exciting new
Spectrum Mobile options — help them become
familiar with using it and put together just the
right package of Spectrum services for their
home and family.”
The new Grand Street store is open Monday
through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday,
12 p.m. to 5 p.m. The new location offers a
comfortable and convenient location for Manhattan
residents to try out Spectrum’s services.
For information about Spectrum or to find a
store near you, visit spectrum.com.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SPECTRUM
4 February 20, 2020 Schneps Media
/spectrum.com
/spectrum.com