Stellar leaves tenants without proper heat, they say

[Updated 6:03 p.m., Dec. 10, 2010, with a comment from Stellar] As temperatures dropped below freezing this week, tenants at Independence Plaza North said they were left in the cold, literally. Many residents of the 1,331-unit complex at 310 Greenwich Street in Tribeca, owned by Stellar Management, told DNAinfo that their radiators are lukewarm and they bundle up just to keep from shivering in their apartments, and that the problem is a recurring one. “It’s horrible,” said tenant Janet Moore. “All winter I keep the oven on. Everyone I talk to, no one has heat.” Diane Lapson, president of the Independence Plaza North Tenant Association, said more than a dozen tenants complained that their apartments are not warm enough.

In response to the complaints, John Marino, a spokesperson for Stellar, told The Real Deal: “Stellar Management has only received 17 heat complaint calls since the start of December, which means 99 percent of the thousands who live in Independence Plaza North have no problems with the heat in their apartments. Stellar spent over $6 million to install a new, state-of-the art, boiler and heating system and promptly responds to every heating complaint made to its 24-hour a day, seven-day a week service hotline. Stellar has a strong record of providing clean, safe, quality affordable housing for its residents.”

The worst units are those that face the Hudson River, with icy drafts blowing in. Lapson is also concerned for the safety of residents who are using their ovens and electric heaters to keep warm. Stellar has reportedly tried to respond in the past by installing a new boiler, thermostats and better windows, but Lapson said those measures are not enough. A handful of residents told DNAinfo that they had plenty of heat, with some even complaining that their apartments were sweltering. [DNAinfo]