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Transportation & Environment
Times Square Hotel Owner, LLC, at 1568 Broadway, application for a Revocable Consent to construct, maintain, and use non-security bollards and a snow melting system
At the regularly scheduled monthly Community Board Five meeting on Thursday, October 13, 2022, the following resolution passed with a vote of 33 in favor; 0 opposed; 1 abstaining:
WHEREAS, The Applicant, Times Square Hotel Owner, LLC, seeks approval for a revocable consent to construct, maintain, and use non-security bollards and a sidewalk snow melting system at 1568 Broadway; and
WHEREAS, The proposed installation would add twenty-five non-security bollards with shallow foundations along the sidewalk of West 47th Street, fronting a building being altered; and
WHEREAS, The appearance and design of the bollards will be materially similar to those previously installed along Seventh Avenue that have deeper foundations and are fortified for anti-terrorism activity, and that the lesser security rating of the new bollards is driven by a New York City Department of Transportation (“DOT”) recommendation to avoid use of deep foundations due to structural and transit considerations; and
WHEREAS, The sidewalk along which the bollards will be installed is approximately 15.7’ wide; and
WHEREAS, Installation of bollards will decrease the space available for pedestrian use along this sidewalk; and
WHEREAS, The Community Board believes that ensuring ample sidewalk space for pedestrian use is of utmost importance, especially in a high-pedestrian traffic corridor like Times Square, and great care must be taken to ensure continued ample space is provided for pedestrians during and after the bollards’ installation; and
WHEREAS, Once the bollards are installed, there will be approximate 13.5’ of free sidewalk from the bollard to the property line; and
WHEREAS, The proposed installation would embed a new snow-melt system comprising ¼” heating cables (5,427 LF total) at 3” average spacing (on center) beneath portions of new concrete sidewalk of West 47th Street; and
WHEREAS, The materials of the proposed snow melting system match those successfully used for other sidewalk snow melting systems in the city; and
WHEREAS, The Applicant recognizes that the removal of snow will remain the responsibility of the building at all times, even in the event the system fails to operate correctly; and
WHEREAS, Should the snow melt system fail or not perform in a satisfactory manner, the Applicant will ensure that the system be replaced as quickly as possible and alternative methods to maintain the safety and cleanliness of the sidewalk will be implemented; and
WHEREAS, The successful use of the system, when properly administered by the responsible entity, eliminates the unsafe conditions of ice and snow on the sidewalks in which it is in use and substantially reduces the use of environmentally harmful chemicals and salts; and
WHEREAS, The successful use of the bollards, when properly installed and administered by the responsible entity, will ensure the safety of pedestrians and protect the building from potential damage; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends approval of the Application from Times Square Hotel Owner, LLC, for a revocable consent to construct, maintain, and use non-security bollards and a sidewalk snow melting system at 1568 Broadway.