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Conditioned to a Fight Over A/C
By
Jen Chung
Published May 27, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published May 27, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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What gets hotter than a summer day? Fights between tenants and a building board, when a board throws out various air conditioning units. The Post reports that the board at 304-324 East 41st Street in Manhattan's Tudor City removed AC units, claiming that the building's masonry needed to be redone and that the units violated an landmarks ruling. From the residents:
"They told them they either remove them or we'll take them out," [resident Peter] Clemente said. "And, in fact, several of the units were removed when tenants weren't even in their apartments."
"They just took the ACs out and tossed them. I saw them stacked up in the courtyard of the building."
... "They've taken out at least 50 air conditioners, maybe more, and you've got some very senior citizens here who can't breathe," said the apartment owner, who asked not to be identified. "They only care about the front of the building and how it looks. The board vice president doesn't like the 'ugly tongues' sticking out - that's what he calls them."
Board President Roland Peracca claims that the AC units violates landmarks law, but the Post points out that if units were installed before 1988, they can stay. Peracca suggests tenants buy free-standing air conditioners, but the real question is whether the board will reimburse tenants whose AC units were seized and thrown away.
Here are tips from the city for buying air conditioners and here are tips from the Department of Buildings on actually installing AC units (PDF).
Photograph from Cool Props, Michele Howley's awesome website about the various objects New Yorkers use to prop up their AC units
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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