Tattered Kappock Street pathway left in limbo

Posted

For pedestrians traveling on Kappock Street, beware the walkway between 601 and 609 Kappock St. The sloped pathway connects the dead end of Arlington Avenue to Kappock. Over the years, daily use has laden the path with potholes and rendered it worn, exposing uneven concrete beneath.

Both, Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz and Councilmember Eric Dinwoitz released a statement on Jan. 8 calling on the city to fix the precarious path. 

“The city claims the land is not theirs, and the buildings claim they don't own it. As a result, this pathway is broken up and dangerous,” the duo wrote in their statement. “We don't see how the co-ops could be responsible for repairing the path at this location. The city needs to step up and make this path safe for people who use it.”

However, a spokesperson from the New York City Department of Transportation said its not their issue to address. 

“According to records from the Borough President’s Office, this land does not belong to the city. We understand the community’s concerns and hope there can be an appropriate resolution,” the DOT said.

Both cooperatives at 601 and 609 Kappock St. also deny ownership of the land. 

Throughout the city, property maintenance rests on the property owner, but with the city denying the property as their own and the cooperatives doing the same, repair is up in the air. 

The New York City Department of Finance maintains a record of all property information, including digital tax maps used to identify the size of a lot, intact with property lines. Neither 601 nor 609 Kappock St. have property lines that extend onto the walkway. A representative from the Bronx Borough President’s said the office is looking into resolving the matter of ownership over the pathway. 

“This has been a problem for as long as I can remember and I’m talking about going back maybe 30 years,” Jeffrey Dinwotiz said to The Press. 

Despite who owns what, something must be done. 

“What is clear to me is that it’s dangerous and I don’t want to see the pathway closed,” Jeffrey Dinowitz said. 

He added that a multimillion-dollar project to completely re-do the pathway is impractical, but he idealized the pavement being fixed in the manner the city fixes potholes. When potholes are reported to the city, the DOT is tasked with repairing them, typically done within 15 days of the filed report. 

The assemblymember shared he’s nervous someone could get seriously injured walking on the disturbed pathway. 

“I know that the city is saying it’s not theirs, but you know what, do it anyway,” Jeffrey Dinowitz said. 

 

 

Kapok Street, broken streets, Department of Transportation

Comments