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Upper West Side Garage Door Not Only Ugly, But Possibly Dangerous, Pols Say

By Leslie Albrecht | July 23, 2010 8:59am | Updated on August 17, 2010 6:35am

By Leslie Albrecht

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

UPPER WEST SIDE — It's not just ugly, it's also unsafe.

That's the latest complaint against a controversial garage door and driveway at a new 20-story luxury condominium at West End Avenue and West 86th Street.

When the scaffolding came off the building at 535 West End Avenue last month, neighbors complained that the modern garage door didn't blend in with the rest of their historic block. They claimed developer Extell Development Company broke a promise to build an "elegant" garage door.

They also said Extell built a driveway that was more than three feet wider than allowed, and that the surrounding curb cuts are too wide.

Now, Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal and and City Councilwoman Gale Brewer are asking the city to look into whether the driveway is wider than permitted, and whether it's safe.

Westbound cars make illegal left turns into the building's driveway and "jeopardize pedestrian safety," Rosenthal said in e-mailed comments. She's asked NYPD to step up traffic enforcement in area.

Neighbors also say uneven pavement where the new driveway meets the sidewalk is causing pedestrians to trip and fall.

Extell spokesman George Arzt said in July that the developer would shrink the size of the driveway as soon as it gets permission from the Department of Buildings.

Arzt declined to comment in July on whether the garage door was "too ugly" for the block, saying,"I am not going to comment on the someone's characterization of the doors."

He could not be reached for comment as of publication.

A barrel marked
A barrel marked "caution" near the parking garage driveway at 535 West End Avenue, where neighbors say uneven pavement is causing trips and falls.
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Courtesy Batya Lewton