Light From Co-Op City Electronic Billboards Keeps Neighbors Awake
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Things are looking on the bright side for many living in Co-Op City, the Bronx, but this time around, that is not actually a good thing.
As CBS2's Dick Brennan reported, two new billboards have been living nightmares.
In the daytime, the two new large electronic billboards outside Sandy Krasnove's 11th-floor window are just an eyesore. But once that sun sets, it's an unwanted light – keeping the senior up all evening.
"Very annoying," Krasnove said, "very annoying."
The light is there no matter what she does.
"I try and face the other way," she said. "I close the blinds real good, real tight."
The light just won't go away, and now, Krasnove and her Co-Op City neighbors are learning the building developer, Baychester Retail III, wants to install another electronic billboard at the same corner of Bartow and Baychester avenues. But this one would be 34 stories high.
"I feel like these ones here are enough," said Xiomara Rolon. "I don't think we need a giant billboard like that."
"May cause some mayhem during rush hour," said Terrence Richmond.
City Councilman Andy King (D-12th) hosted a day of action rally Thursday, fighting against the potential billboard and trying to regulate the ones already there.
"We could figure out how to work with developer to say, 'OK, how do we have a better way of timing with the illumination of lights shining into people's apartments?'" King said.
King said the developers have already been denied the permit to build the 300-foot billboard, but are trying to appeal it.
"According to these court papers here, it would be 57 billboards," King said. "So I don't understand how they think they can put 57 billboards in a residential neighborhood."
The residential neighborhood says they plan to fight to the end to keep their neighborhood the way it is.
King said he is working with the Department of Buildings to figure out how the electronic billboards got installed in the first place.
