UPPER EAST SIDE — Anonymous fliers have been posted along Second Avenue alleging that black smoke has been spotted coming from a high-rise and is polluting the neighborhood, but local residents say there's no truth to the tale.
The anonymously taped up fliers tell people to look up and see the smoke coming from the Regency at 245 E. 63rd St. On Monday, there were at least four signs leading up to and at the intersection of Second Avenue and 63rd Street, nearest to the Regency tower.
The most recent posting was done on Sept. 19, saying "245 east 63 is STILL polluting our air!!" Look up, watch aluminum chimney for smoke. When you see it, call 311 or file a complaint online."
But no complaints or violations were filed with the city's Department of Buildings for the Regency, according to Alex Schnell, a spokesman for the agency, and neighbors and residents said they haven't seen the smoke.
Judith Schneider a member of the East Sixties Neighborhood Association said she believes the anonymous poster must have the wrong address.
"Most of the people in the area are in compliance," she said, explaining that when there is a building not in compliance the DEP comes out to inspect. "There's no black smoke coming out of the chimney. They're really annoyed."
Dark smoke has been spotted though from nearby 220 E. 65th St., the Concorde condominium tower, according to a spokesman from the city's Department of Environmental Protection.
DEP inspectors visited the building and recommended that the owner tune-up the boiler, the agency said, but no violations were issued since it is legally burning natural gas and heating oil, the spokesman said.
One individual has reported several instances of black smoke from that address, according to the DEP's records.
"I've never seen the smoke and I've been here for years," said Barbara, who lives across the street from the Regency and declined to reveal her last name. "I keep seeing these signs taped up."
Schneider said she didn't know who has been posting the signs but it could be someone "with an ax to grind."
"There's a reason they're anonymous," she said. "I'm really annoyed because people have plastered the neighborhood and did something they weren't supposed to."
The Association has been removing the the fliers since the only documents that are allowed to be posted on lampposts are those by city agencies, she said.
Management from the Regency and the Concorde did not immediately return requests for comment on Monday.
