BY SCOTT STIFFLER | In a May 16, 2022 message delivered to two Facebook groups with Chelsea-centric memberships, Jordan Feiner (Liaison to Community Board 4, Office of NYC Councilmember Erik Bottcher) noted he was writing to “provide everyone an update” regarding the scaffolding at 205/207 Eighth Ave. (btw. W. 20th & 21st Sts.).

Required by the Department of Buildings as a means of protecting passersby when work is being done above, the street-level, tunnel-like latticework has been present for years, despite the absence of actual construction work. Local residents have long complained that the darkened corridor attracts drug dealers, prostitutes, and loiterers who make walking the half-block area an often intimidating, sometimes dangerous experience. (Chelsea Community News has chronicled the matter in a number of articles and opinion pieces; click here and here and here and here to access them.)

In his message, Feiner said that two weeks ago, he and Councilmember Bottcher met on site with the 10th Precinct and the property owner and manager. “There were items to be revised on the drawings/paperwork the General Contractor submitted to the engineer,” Feiner recalled, noting, “Work [on the building] is scheduled to commence tomorrow, 5/17/22. This puts us on track for an August 22nd completion and removal of the scaffold.”

In the meantime, Feiner said the owner and property manager “are in the process of obtaining private security, and have reached out to Allied Security and other security groups to provide that.” As for ongoing actions on the part of the Councilmember’s office, Feiner said he’d be “happy to answer” any questions from “anyone of you,” while vowing, “We will continue to work diligently with the owner and the 10th Precinct to ensure this area is safe, and this timeline is upheld.”

Those wishing for information from the NYPD perspective may find it at May 25’s 7pm online meeting of the 10th Precinct Community Council. The precinct’s Commanding Officer, Captain Robert Gault, is expected to attend, review the latest local crime statistics, and lead the meeting’s Q&A session.

For more info on the office of Councilmember Erik Bottcher, click here. For more info about the 10th Precinct click here. To follow the 10th Precinct Community Council on Facebook, click here.

Directly below, find Feiner’s original, unedited message of May 16, 2022:

Hi everyone,

Jordan Feiner from Council Member Erik Bottcher’s office here. Saw some posts about the scaffolding on 205/207 8th Avenue and wanted to provide everyone an update.

The Councilmember and I had a meeting with the 10th Precinct and the property owner and manager there two weeks ago.

Work is scheduled to commence tomorrow, 5/17/22. There were items to be revised on the drawings/paperwork the General Contractor submitted to the engineer. This puts us on track for an August 22nd completion and removal of the scaffold.

For further security at that location, the owner and property manager are in the process of obtaining private security, and have reached out to Allied Security and other security groups to provide that.

If anyone of you have any questions I am happy to answer them, we will continue to work diligently with the owner and the 10th Precinct to ensure this area is safe, and this timeline is upheld.

–END–

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