A vacant lot on the corner of Kelly Street and Westchester Square that residents have used as a dumping ground for their trash has gone from eyesore to hazard for Longwood pedestrians.
The Department of Buildings earlier this week sent a letter to the landlord, Mount Eden-based Brijall Realty, telling the compnay to erect a fence around the perimeter of the unsightly area.
As of Feb. 18, a plywood fence was up on the Kelly Street side of the property, but on the Westchester Avenue side, the fence had collapsed onto the sidewalk. Nails sticking out from the fence are creating a danger for pedestrians, says Community Board 2’s District Manager Rafael Salamanca.
To avoid the exposed nails and the fallen fence, pedestrians have to weave through traffic to get to the other side of the street. Regular foot traffic includes schoolchildren from nearby PS 216 and 217 and patients of the nearby Community Healthcare Network and the Intervale Avenue 2 and 5 subway stops.
A spokeswoman for the city’s Department of Buildings said the agency will monitor the situation and hold the landlord accountable.
“If they don’t comply, the city will step in and make the necessary repairs and bill the owner for the costs,” said Ryan FitzGibbon.
Brijall Realty has no listed phone number and could not be reached for commment.