Upper East Side, New York — From 5G to 1G.
A recent ruling by the state’s Office of Historic Preservation leaves only one viable possibility among the 18 5G towers proposed for LinkNYC, according to officials and a map created by LinkNYC vendor CityBridge. It means only.
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The dented towers are a sign of site-specific compatibility issues and historic federal mandates over the impact of massive 5G power poles envisioned as part of city plans to expand internet access across the Big Apple. It disappeared due to a combination of failed preservation inspections. Located in the Historic District of the Upper East Side.
The New York State Historic Preservation Office recently ruled that the tower at 1190 Madison Avenue, near East 87th Street, should be relocated or redesigned to be “in harmony with its historic environment,” according to a spokesperson. That’s what it means.
CityBridge — City Hall’s partner in the project — told Patch that no final decision has yet been made on 1190 Madison Avenue, despite a request from the New York State Historic Preservation Office following a Section 106 review of the tower site. He said he has not done so.
According to CityBridge LinkNYC’s 5G tower map, if the city’s Office of Technology and Innovation accepts the recommendation, only one isolated tower will remain, as proposed, including the 11 marked on the Upper East Side. Only one location is shown, seven fewer than the 18 proposed. — and all but two are labeled “repaired.”
Almost every elected official in the neighborhood was happy to hear that the last Carnegie Hill tower was going down the drain.
“From the beginning, we have raised community concerns about the Link New York City 5G tower being taken out of context with the surrounding area,” said City Councilman Keith Powers.
“I am pleased that all construction of the Link New York City tower, which caused so much backlash on Carnegie Hill, has been postponed or canceled,” said Councilmember Alex Boaz. The city recently released a report on how the city can better deploy 5G infrastructure in a more contextual manner. Powers said he supports the effort.
“Each of these towers will only provide high-speed 5G coverage within a two-block radius, so, contrary to other claims, the impact will be limited to the surrounding area,” said John, who had a career in computer science before joining the civil service. Boaz said.
“We applaud this victory,” said Congressman Jerry Nadler, who wrote a letter to the FCC in April asking for a moratorium on LinkNYC’s 5G tower deployment.
“Today’s announcement reflects what we have known all along to be true: the Link 5G tower is irrelevant to the historic nature of many areas of New York,” Nadler told Patch.
Upper East Side Councilwoman Rebecca Seawright, who has also long opposed towers, said she “applauded” state officials’ recommendation that the last Carnegie Hill tower did not fit into its “historical context.” He said he did.
Early this week, Mr. Seawright asked Mayor Adams. “During budget hearings on Capitol Hill, she spoke about the unknown health and environmental impacts of 5G technology and the proliferation of nearby towers.”
“Imposing a 32-foot sidewalk cell phone tower in the middle of Carnegie Hill’s historic residential district detracts from the unique sense of place that makes Carnegie Hill so great,” said Preservation Consultant. said former President Simeon Bankoff. Executive Director of the Historic District Council.
Jack Stern, a spokesperson for CityBridge, City Hall’s partner in LinkNYC, said the tower’s cancellation simply shows how well the community support process is working.
“As we receive feedback from the community, we will listen to it and explore alternatives,” Stern said, adding that overall New Yorkers overwhelmingly support expanding internet connectivity.
On that point, Bankoff and Carnegie Hill Neighbors, the community group most vocally critical of 5G towers, agree on the end, not the means.
“Expanding access to 5G is great, but it can be done in a way that doesn’t damage the environment,” Bankoff said.
“New York City deserves better connectivity,” said Joanna Corey, executive director of Carnegie Hill Neighbors. “This was never the way to go in a historic district like ours.”
“We are proud to have successfully made that claim,” Corey added. “When Carnegie Hill comes together to protect our neighborhoods, nothing can stop us.”
Back in December 2022, the city presented a proposal to install 18 giant sidewalk towers on the Upper East Side.
The presentation quickly encountered fierce opposition, particularly from residents of the Carnegie Hill neighborhood.
Half of the proposed tower was originally located on Carnegie Hill.
Since then, almost all sites have been eliminated.
According to CityBridge, seven people dropped out for “various reasons.” According to officials, these reasons were due to “site-specific” reasons such as sidewalk space, arched walkways, and other conflicting conditions.
Nine of the remaining sites are in what CityBridge calls “remediation,” indicating the group is seeking alternative sites in response to community feedback. This means that the construction of the tower may still be a long way off.
The last remaining unrenovated LinkNYC 5G tower on the Upper East Side, other than the recently decommissioned 1190 Madison Avenue, is located at 1712 York Avenue, just off Asphalt Green.
City Bridge asks for clarification on why nine towers were put into restoration, including whether any towers were canceled as a result of a Section 106 review request by the State Historic Preservation Office. However, there was no answer. It also did not respond to requests for a list of all valid FCC permits for 5G towers on the Upper East Side.
