Assemblyman Dinowitz penned a letter to the management company of 500 West 235th Street, urging them to complete repair work on gas service in the building. The building has been without gas service since October 26th, 2016 and residents have had to make do with lack of gas for 7 months.

Assemblyman Dinowitz’s office has been in communication with the building’s management, the Department of Buildings (DOB) and Con Edison since December, attempting to get gas restored to the building and to ensure that Elbridge, DOB and ConEd work as efficiently as possible to restore service. Despite these efforts, gas service has still not returned.

“While I understand that a project of this nature takes time to complete, it has been seven months that your tenants have had to live without this essential service. This has led to increased hardship for these tenants, including an increase in their utility bill for use of the alternatives such as hot plates or heating devices that have been supplied to them,” said Assemblyman Dinowitz in the letter.

Recently, it became clear after conversations with DOB and ConEd, that gas service has not been restored because the building has failed multiple inspections necessary before gas service can be approved by DOB. These inspections were failed because gas pipes remain in publicly accessible areas, against regulations, and must be relocated before gas service can be approved by DOB and installed by ConEd. The building will continue to fail inspection as long as management leaves the pipes where they are and gas service will continue to be withheld until adequate measures have been taken to ensure the safety of tenants in the building.