The events that occurred on 500 Baychester Ave. in Co-op City are a reminder that we can not allow any type of building structure be put up so hastily, and that the Department of Buildings needs to properly inspect these structures prior to it's assembly. There are many yet unanswered questions about the permission to build and the stability of a structure that was put up quite literally as residents of Co-Op City slept, and we continue to investigate this matter.
We are lucky that there were no injuries from the collapse of the wind turbine and the only damage, while unfortunate, was property damage. We are even luckier that this was not a day where school was in session, as there are multiple schools on Baychester Avenue and the injuries could have been devastating.
My office will continue to monitor this situation, and I hope that the owner of this turbine realizes that Co-op City is no place for this type of structure. Simply because one believes they can do something, they shouldn’t always do so. This serves as a reminder for that.
Editor's Note:
At the October 17, 2019 Community Board 10 meeting held in Coop-City CB 10 voted to change the zoning from C7 to C82. The change of zoning would not disallow the same mono pole from being built, just that it would have to be affixed to the roof of the building rather than free standing.
The C82 zoning also allows for community facilities to be built in the zone of which at least one member of the public had concerns about. In the minutes of the CB 10 meeting there were concerns from board members about the sign and its illumination, but board members were reminded that they were voting on a zoning change and not the mono pole or any illumination issues.
