Elected officials are keeping up the fight over giant 32-foot 5G towers being installed across the City. In two letters sent out this month, they raised concerns about the potential harmful effects of the oversized towers on the City’s historic districts and residential neighborhoods.
Congressman Jerrold Nadler was joined by State Senator Liz Krueger, Assembly Members Rebecca Seawright and Alex Bores, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, and Council Members Keith Powers and Julie Menin in a letter to Deborah Marton, President of the Public Design Commission, asking the PDC to reconsider their approval of the current tower design in favor of less intrusive equipment.
They stated that “Smaller 5G infrastructure has been installed on lamp posts and utility poles throughout the City, increasing the City’s 5G capabilities in a way that does not interfere with the streetscape and integrity of our historic districts. Additionally, given the rapid speed at which new technology is developed, there is a likelihood that these large towers will become obsolete in the near future.”
In a separate letter, Council Member Gale Brewer expressed her opposition to new towers in her West Side district. CM Brewer wrote to the State Historic Preservation Office about plans for at least five towers, noting that she is “deeply concerned about the potential negative impacts that these structures may have on our historic neighborhood… Our goal should always be to find a balance between the evolving needs of the city and the imperative of preserving the unique character of our neighborhoods.”
The Conservancy has been raising the alarm over these towers for the past year. We have reviewed hundreds of applications for towers at or near historic resources, and expect to see a new group of applications over the next few months.
