Construction starting at 6 am!

First of all, I live in NYC. They demolished the building next to mine, if that wasn't enough, 4 months ago. From what I understand they are going to build a much larger building there now. My first complaint was we have windows on that side of our building, now are going to be blocked by new structure. For the past 2 weeks they have been starting construction at 6 am every weekday!!!!! Insane! I am furious! Our building is literally shacking, like a earthquake!

Isn't there a city code about when construction noise can start? I know that Manhattan is not your average municipality, but I would think that they have rules about such things. In the towns that I have lived, it is about 7:30 that construction can start in the morning. I would call the city and find out.

I feel for you!

I used to work night shift and have to try and sleep in the daytime, but it was next to impossible to do during the summer because there was construction, trucks, boats on the river, etc. And the noise sometimes started around 6am or earlier if there were garbage trucks picking up the garbage.

Back when I was in nursing school I moved to a smaller, less expensive apartment near to the school so I could save on travel time and transportation costs. I lived on the main floor, which was kind of like being on the second floor because the basement was "above ground", and the only windows I had were in my living room (I had a bachelor apartment). There was a larger building next door that completely obliterated the light from getting into my apartment and it was pertpetually dark! I had to have my lights on regardless of the time of day, even in the summer. I absolutely hated that!

The space between my building and the other one also caused a tunnel effect for the wind, and the wind passed directly by my windows and I never got even a whisper of breeze. That made my apartment always feel damp and musty because there didn't seem to be any air exchange.

I was constantly sick with respiratory illnesses while living there. So sick one time that I ended up in the ER and missing 5 weeks of school.

And then there was the noise from their building!!

I lived there for 2 1/2 years. Once I finished school and got a job, I moved out! By that time I had developed asthma and a number of allergies to a variety of things. Things I didn't have when I first moved there. I truly believe that the building itself was sick.

So far as the shaking of your building is concerned, that causes structural damage to it. You should contact the owner and let him know how bad it is and that it has to be causing some problems with the foundation IE: cracks, sinking etc.

IMHO if that building is going to be so close to yours that it blocks out sun and air, I really think you should consider moving.

The building I'm living in now faces a river and the nearest building to my windows is way across the river. It's why I moved here and part of the reason I am loathe to move.

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

IMHO if that building is going to be so close to yours that it blocks out sun and air, I really think you should consider moving.

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Believe me, this is already a plan in the process. It's very difficult finding affordable renting in Manhattan these days. It really sucks that this building is going up, I live on the second floor and have a back door rooftop that I made into a garden area. Now a building is going to cut off 60% of the light to the back rooftop, not to mention I will have only one window from the back! The building is shacking as I type this!

I am so sorry for your predicament! I love traveling to Manhattan - used to do it alot on business, but the noise really got to me....but the fact that you have a little roofstop deck sounds wonderful! Maybe it is time to think about plants that don't need alot of sun.
Sometimes I wonder if we (as a country) will ever have really old houses, buildings like the day in the rest of the world. We seem bent on ripping buildings down to put up taller, uglier structures - just to make more money