NYC sidewalk shed that earned ‘worst’ award taken down after nearly 20 years – and locals are throwing a ‘party’

The owner of an Upper West Side apartment building finally removed its longtime sidewalk shed Monday after nearly two decades – and neighbors are shedding no tears.

The infamous green blight at 51 West 86th St. was even awarded the title of the Worst Sidewalk Shed on the West Side at Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assemblymember Micah Lasher’s inaugural “Sheddie Awards” this spring.

“It’s been up for a very long time, so the building’s very excited,” resident Omet Hit told The Post.

The owner of an Upper West Side apartment building finally removed its longtime sidewalk shed Monday after nearly two decades. Google Maps

“There’s so much of it,” the 31-year-old tech worker said of scaffolding on the Upper West Side. “Then it’s like a whole new world when it’s finally gone.

“Now it’s so exciting. It’s so beautiful, it’s so open,” he added. “It’s like a new breath of fresh air. We had champagne already … but I think there’s going to be a party.”

“We’re organizing a big party,” confirmed another building resident, who declined to share her name. “It’s a disease in this city – scaffolding – and there’s more of it there [across the street]; ours was up the longest.” 

“I was actually gone for the Jewish holidays for a full month,” an 11-year building resident added, “And I had to come around again because I just didn’t recognize the building … It’s great. I think everybody’s going to be happier – and it’s nice and clean.”

The scaffolding and netting that covered the area since 2020 came down four months ago, the West Side Rag first reported.

The sidewalk shed has “been up for a very long time, so the building’s very excited,” resident Omet Hit told The Post. Khristina Narizhnaya / NY Post

The building, which had its notorious shed erected in 2006, is owned by Weinreb Management — which did not return a request for comment Thursday.

The company was sued by the city in 2022 for hundreds of building violations, including fire safety issues and “failing to correct hazardous facade defects,” after another Weinreb-owned building caught fire in the Bronx, killing 17 residents.

The green sidewalk shed at the 86th street residence, as pictured in May 2009. Google Maps

“Defendants have displayed a pattern of failing to correct hazardous façade defects at their buildings: rather than taking corrective action,” the lawsuit reads.

“Defendants have allowed their buildings to deteriorate to the point where they pose an imminent threat to the health and safety of the tenants and the public.”

The 51 West 86 St. building was issued two violations according to the 2022 lawsuit, including faulty sprinklers and alarm systems as well as missing fire extinguishers.

The litigation was an effort as part of the city’s Long Standing Sheds program, which sought to compel owner Jacob Weinreb “to make needed repairs across 11 of their buildings, several of which had long-standing sidewalk sheds,” a Department of Buildings rep told The Post.

Weinreb Management has been “making progress on these repairs, and have already resolved hundreds of open violations across their portfolio of buildings,” the DOB confirmed — including facade repairs finally made to 51 West 86th St.

“Defendants have allowed their buildings to deteriorate to the point where they pose an imminent threat to the health and safety of the tenants and the public,” the city’s lawsuit reads. Khristina Narizhnaya / NY Post

“Through an affirmative litigation case brought by our partners at the Law Department, we were able to compel the owners of this property to finally make needed façade repairs and return the valuable sidewalk space in front of the building back to the public,” Buildings Commissioner Jimmy Oddo said.

“Everybody’s so happy, and everybody is so mad that it took this long,” longtime resident Ellen said. “I’m very grateful that the city sued, because that’s what really got things going … and after that, I think Weinreb Management company had no choice but to respond, obviously, and they did. I hope it’s a model.”

The current oldest sidewalk sheds in New York City date back to 2010, and can be found at a pair of apartment buildings in Yorkville the East Village, according to a Post analysis of Buildings records.

They’re part of 10 buildings across the city that have scaffolding that are at least a decade old.

“It’s [scaffolding] clearly out of hand,” the unnamed 11-year 51 West 86th St. resident added. 

“The city’s beautiful, and I hope we can see more of it.”