UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — Streets around the Upper West Side may soon see the installation of enormous 5G transmission poles as part of a city plan to expand internet access, a move that has alarmed one local leader.
The proposal includes installing five poles around the neighborhood, according to Council Member Gale Brewer, who wrote a letter earlier this month to the Preservation Office and the New York City Office of Technology and Innovation, disapproving of the action.
The Office of Technology and Innovation, which has been replacing the city’s old payphones since 2015 with hundreds of 9-foot-tall “links” that emit free Wi-Fi and display advertising on both sides, would oversee the future installations.
Those efforts escalated starting in 2022, as LinkNYC began installing 32-foot-tall 5G towers atop the kiosks, using the extra-fast cellular technology to power their Wi-Fi, USB chargers, nationwide calling, and access to 911 and 311.
More than 160 of these towers have already been installed throughout the five boroughs, and approximately 2,000 more are expected to be installed in the coming years.
Now, the city and its partner in the venture, the private company CityBridge, are eyeing adding five additional poles to the Upper West Side.
The Upper West Side sites are clustered in two areas: on Broadway, on intersections between West 61st and West 64th streets, and on Columbus Avenue, between West 94th and West 97th streets.
Brewer said both proposed sites on Columbus Avenue have already received approval from the State Historic Preservation Office, while decisions on the three Broadway sites are still pending.
Brewer voiced her strong opposition to the proposed towers, which she referred to as “ugly” in her newsletter.
“As a Council Member representing this community, I am deeply concerned about the potential negative impacts that these structures may have on our historic neighborhood,” Brewer said. “The current sites outlined above are either in or adjacent to an historic eligible or designated historic district or property, and require further review.”
Here is a list of the five proposed sites:
- 741 Columbus Avenue
- 1886 Broadway
- 715 Columbus Avenue
- 1900 Broadway
- 1880 Broadway
“It is imperative we address our community’s concerns and explore all possible avenues to prevent the permanent installation of these unsightly and inappropriate towers,” Brewer added.
“Our goal should always be to find a balance between the evolving needs of the city and the imperative of preserving the unique character of our neighborhoods. I urge SHPO to take immediate action and end all plans for installation on the Upper West Side.”
In her letter, Brewer also noted that, while the purpose of the 5G towers was to fill gaps in the city’s 5G network, she had not seen any data to support this need within the Upper West Side Community.
If the city’s Office of Technology and Innovation withdraws the proposed sites, then according to the CityBridge LinkNYC 5G tower map, there would be only one remaining tower in upper Manhattan.
The map shows no towers built on the west side of Central Park, with the closest one located in East Harlem.
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