Steve Goldberg may have emerged from the rabbit hole.
Since September, Goldberg, who lives across from Public School 197 on East 22nd Street, has been forced to live with a construction project at the school.
Because school is in session, the noisy work begins in the afternoon and stretches into the night, sometimes until 11 p.m., despite promises that it would be halted at 10 p.m.
It seems that in this case – after two stories published in this newspaper – the squeaky wheel did indeed get the grease.
In our most recent story, Goldberg blasted city officials for what appeared to be foot-dragging on the issue. The slow response made him feel a bit like Alice in Wonderland down the rabbit hole, he confessed.
Since the story appeared last month, both Community Board 14 and City Councilmember Michael Nelson’s Office have assured the paper that they helped secure new assurances that the work would be stopped at 10 p.m.
Charles Kahn, Nelson’s chief of staff, said the contractor has agreed to stop all “noisy work” by 10 p.m. Moreover, the city permit would be held up if there is a violation, Kahn said. According to the Department of Education, the school’s permit allows work to proceed until 11 p.m. on weekdays.
Kahn said early reports from the site have indicated that work now is being halted at 9 p.m.
If it goes on any later, rest assured, Goldberg will be listening.
