Blinded by the light: UES diners, neighbors upset at Anbau’s late night construction

Neighbors question whether DOB should have issued after-hours work permits

Anbau Enterprise's "Citizen360" at 360 E. 89th St. (Credit: SHoP Architects)
Anbau Enterprise's "Citizen360" at 360 E. 89th St. (Credit: SHoP Architects)

If you’re at Cavatappo on the Upper East Side, do try the duck ragu. But do not sit at the table near the window! You’ll likely need a side of visors, thanks to flood lights beaming in from a development site across the street.

Light and sound from the construction site holding Anbau Enterprise’s 34-story luxury tower on 89th Street has UES restaurant owners and neighbors calling on the Department of Buildings to reconsider its policy on issuing after-hours work permits.

“There’s nothing I can do about it,” restaurant owner Luca Marcato told DNAinfo. “I put the customers against the wall or on the side. The people that suffer the most are the restaurants because customers have to physically come in, sit and endure the discomfort.”

Anbau, which is building an 83-unit condo tower with all the touches at 360 East 89th Street, says it’s working with neighbors and restaurant owners to mitigate the construction impacts as “Citizen360” rises.

Sign Up for the undefined Newsletter

By signing up, you agree to TheRealDeal Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.

In addition to regular permits, to accelerate the construction process, the developer was issued an after-hours permit by the city’s Department of Buildings, allowing it to work from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Anbau says it’s added sound barriers and coordinated as best as possible with upset neighbors, but is limited by the logistical process.

The developer has not committed any DOB violations related to noise or light issues.

Anbau purchased the development site last year for $33 million. Units at Citizen360, designed by SHoP Architects and set to open in 2017, range from $1.3 million to over $12 million. [DNAinfo]James Kleimann