One Store’s Manager Says It’s ‘Not Contributing to Us Getting Business’
By Sarah Tobol
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — When construction or renovation work begins on a building in New York City, its owner may need to put up a sidewalk shed, a structure put over the sidewalk and around the building in order to protect pedestrians walking underneath.
Sidewalk sheds, commonly referred to as scaffolding, require permits, which usually last a year. If construction still needs to be completed, the permit can be renewed before it expires by filing an application with the city Department of Buildings.
Sometimes it appears that construction is not under way. But, says Buildings Department spokeswoman Kate Lindquist, “It’s important to remember that the installation of a sidewalk shed may be required during work on the building’s interior — work that might not be immediately visible to passers-by.”
One sidewalk shed, located on Henry Street between Orange and Cranberry streets, has been up for at least two years due to façade work on the building. Two of the ground-floor businesses, The Blue Pig and Busy Chef, have moved in within the past year and are hopeful that the shed will be removed sometime soon.
Julia Horowitz, owner of ice cream shop The Blue Pig, has been there since late last June. She said the owners of the building are replacing the pointing (cement between the bricks) on the outside walls, with construction occurring “on-and-off.”
Many of her customers come in and ask her when the sidewalk shed will be taken down, and she herself “would love for it to come down.”
Busy Chef, a café that specializes in natural, preservative-free food, has only been on the corner of Henry and Cranberry streets for one month and one week. Manager Sean Reid says he has been putting samples on a table outside their door in order to interest passers-by, since the storefront is not visible from across the street.
He thinks the sidewalk shed is “definitely not contributing to us getting business and it’s so not attractive.” He has heard that the shed will be taken down soon, and is very happy about that.
The manager of the building was not available for comment.
© Brooklyn Daily Eagle 2007
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