New 5G Cell Tower Plans Spark Controversy on UWS

A 32-foot 5G tower recently installed on the Upper West Side on Columbus Avenue between 94th and 95th streets–the first of four scheduled for the neighborhood–is stirring debate.

Fourth Generation (4G) and Fifth Generation (5G) cellular technologies may be one generation apart, but 5G requires taller and denser infrastructure, according to the NYC Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI). In other words, for NYC residents, faster service entails larger, more overt cell towers.

City Council Member Gale Brewer, while not against advancing technology, wants alternatives to the tall pole-mounted equipment that would be more in tune with the historic character of the Upper West Side.

“Our goal should always be to find a balance between the evolving needs of the city and the imperative of preserving the unique character of our neighborhoods,” Brewer wrote in a letter to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).

Brewer also thinks an alternative method of installation is possible, and that the OTI should heavily consider infrastructure that already exists.

“I would love to see current installation possibilities like street lights be the place that you could add on any one of these companies and these carriers,” Brewer told Straus News.

Under the Bloomberg administration, there was an initiative called LinkNYC to use street poles for various purposes, including Wifi and communications. Brewer referenced this, saying that while she doesn’t necessarily think it was a satisfactory investment, it’s an example of using already-existing infrastructure.

“On many of the light poles, there was the ability for city agencies to communicate via massive amounts of connectivity,” said Brewer. “They did it and it worked. I don’t understand why they can’t do that. That’s my question.”

The Columbus Avenue tower wasn’t the only one to be proposed on the Upper West Side. Installations were also proposed for 1900 Broadway, 1886 Broadway, and 1880 Broadway. However, Brewer spoke to the Lincoln Square Business Improvement District and learned that the remaining tower plans for that area are under review.

“My understanding is they are being held up because of the proximity to Lincoln Center,” said Brewer. “I knew that the historic district was a deterrent, but I didn’t know that Lincoln Center also is, but apparently it is. So I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

The OTI’s explanation for these installations is that all New Yorkers should have access to affordable cell service, and that some areas of the city don’t have that connection. Brewer wrote in her letter to SHPO that she agrees that service should be expanded into underserved communities, but hasn’t seen any data to indicate a need in her district.

Brewer isn’t the only one expressing disdain for the 5G towers. A group of Upper East Side residents have tried pushing back as well, appealing to the SHPO.

Regardless of these litigations, according to theWest Side Rag, OTI plans to continue efforts of implementation, despite opposition from community members.

“In our modern digital age, it is critical that New Yorkers have access to high-speed internet wherever they live, work, or travel across the five boroughs,” an OTI spokesperson told West Side Rag.

“I don’t know what else to do,” said Brewer. “I’ve written letters, I’ve testified at hearings. I don’t want them.”