Kavanagh, Colleagues Request that Attorney General James Prevent Property Sale Until Noise Issues are Resolved

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March 30, 2021

Hon. Letitia James
Attorney General of the State of New York
State Capitol
Albany, New York 12224

Dear Attorney General James:

We write regarding ongoing noise complaints from Fortis Property Group’s River Park V property located at 347 Henry Street in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. Fortis will soon hold closings for condos within the building, yet as significant issues remain outstanding, we are requesting that the Attorney General’s Office look into the matter with an eye toward ensuring that there is a clear path toward rapid and full remediation before any sales are permitted.

Since December 2020, the Cobble Hill community has experienced repeated noises caused by the River Park V buildings during high winds. These troubling noises, best described as whistling and screeching sounds, can be heard on the street and inside many homes throughout the neighborhood. The Cobble Hill Association (CHA) has compiled numerous complaints from neighbors throughout the community as have our offices. These sounds have impacted residents’ ability to work from home, impeded on children’s ability to sleep, and have added additional stressors during an already challenging time when residents are more likely to be home during the day.

Since CHA raised these concerns on January 25, 2021, an acoustic engineer hired by Fortis to inspect the site has determined that the balcony railings are the source of the noise. While Fortis implemented a temporary measure to mitigate the noise, the measure was unsuccessful.

While we appreciate the attention Fortis has and continues to give to this issue, the noise still persists as a disruption to many residents. Although the community has been patient, given that Fortis has not yet been able to resolve the issue caused by their building for the past three months, we respectfully request that the Attorney General’s Office prevent the sale and transfer of ownership of any units in the building before this issue is fully resolved. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact any of us directly or via Nicole Krishtul in Councilmember Lander’s office at nkrishtul@council.nyc.gov, Greer Mayhew in Senator Kavanagh’s office at gmayhew.nysenate@gmail.com, or Donna Newton in Assemblymember Simon’s office at newtond@nyassembly.gov. 

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Brad Lander 
City Councilmember

Brian Kavanagh 
State Senator 

Jo Anne Simon
State Assemblymember

cc:     Vincent Sapienza, Commissioner, NYC DEP
          Ezana Bocresion, President, Cobble Hill Association
          George Fontas, Chief Executive Officer, Fontas Advisors