Lights out on 56th Street – for now

A Sunset Park resident complained about a broken street light at the March 72^nd Precinct Community Council meeting and with the help of this paper, it’s being fixed.

Sheila Pisciotta lives on 56^th Street between Fourth and Fifth Avenues. After the February 8 snowstorm, the street light in front of her home went out and she called 3-1-1 “right away.” Pisciotta said that a crew from Con Edison did arrive, pulled wires out and left.

“They are coming, but not doing anything,” she said shortly after the March 12 meeting.

She stressed that the light is also in front of an alleyway. Besides this defunct lamp post, there is only one other street light on that side of the block, which is more than halfway up the street almost near Fifth Avenue.

“Since the light went out, three cars on the block had their license plates stolen. Neighbors are concerned about their safety,” Pisciotta explained. “You have to pass the alleyway coming from the subway. We put lights on in front of our houses, but it’s still very dark there.”

Nicholas Mosquera, a spokesperson for the Department of Transportation, told this paper on Thursday, March 14 that the agency would inspect the location and make any necessary repairs.

When we went to the site on the morning of Friday, March 15, the lamp post itself was completely gone. Just a stump of the electrical box was left on the sidewalk.

“Neighbors told me they saw a crane come and take it away,” Pisciotta said. “I guess maybe it will finally get fixed.”