Report: Judge Halts Plans For New Restroom Structures In Brighton Beach
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Plans to build new restroom facilities on the Brighton Beach boardwalk have been delayed, according to a published report.
Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Johnny Lee Baynes ruled last week that the plan for new elevated comfort stations must be halted until a study is conducted to assess the impact on the surrounding area, according to a New York Daily News report. The newspaper reported residents were thoroughly relieved.
The nearby residents of the Oceana luxury condominium complex along Brighton Beach paid premium prices for oceanfront views – an unobstructed picture of the Atlantic Ocean. They told CBS 2's Janelle Burrell in July that they did not like the modular, pod-like restroom facilities at all.
"They will destroy the value of the property -- as simple as that," said resident Dmitry Geyber.
The new pods were to replace a restroom beneath the boardwalk that was destroyed by Superstorm Sandy. Residents had been complaining about the plan for months.
"This is it. This is so-called 'oceanfront,'" resident Dmitry Geyber said in July. "They will be looking at people who come to urinate and defecate in front on their house."
Residents said the units, which cost about $2 million per pod, will not only be an eyesore, they will also mean no more wheelchair access for disabled residents such as Eileen Trotta and her brother.
"Now I have to walk all the way around, which is almost impossible," Trotta said in July. "Somebody has to drive me there."
The city Parks Department defended the design in July.
"They are being built to withstand future extreme weather events," a department statement said. "As required by NYC Building Code, the new buildings will be raised above (Federal Emergency Management Agency) advisory base flood elevations."
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