At Landmark 60 Hudson Street, a Sidewalk Bridge that Could Remain Forever

The sidewalk shed at 60 Hudson Street extends around all four sides of the building. It was constructed in April, 2012 and there is no plan to take it down. Photo: Carl Glassman/Tribeca Trib

Sixty Hudson Street, the grand Art Deco landmark formerly known as the Western Union Building, has for years drawn the ire of neighbors. As a hub for major telecommunications companies, its diesel generators and refrigeration equipment have sparked complaints of noise, pollution and the alleged dangers of below-ground fuel storage.

Now comes another one. The unsightly sidewalk bridge that may never go away.

Last week, at the request of Community Board 1, Shaun Mooney, the director of infrastructure at Colliers International, the real estate company that oversees 60 Hudson Street, appeared before the Tribeca Committee in response to residents’ latest concerns about the building, including the sidewalk bridge that has circled around it for more than two years.

The shed was installed in April, 2012, according to a document from Everest Scaffolding posted on the building. Mooney told the committee that the shed was installed to protect the sidewalk when windows were replaced on six floors of the building.

Mooney said the building is 70 percent occupied and the scaffolding will stay up in anticipation of new renters who often change their windows in order to install new equipment.

“It’s expensive to re-erect it,” Mooney said, “and if there needs to be new work, we want to have it up.”

“So it is up indefinitely then?” asked Bruce Ehrmann, a Community Board 1 member who lives across Worth Street from the building and has been a frequent critic of its operation.

“I do not have a set date to take it down,” Mooney replied.

“So that just doesn’t seem fair,” said committee chair Peter Braus, “that it would just stay up forever, pretty much.”

Subsequent to the online posting of this story, Mooney sent the following statement to the Trib: "We have decisions to make for additional window replacements as well as possibly a façade inspection. We will take the necessary steps to expedite any work so the bridge can be removed."