Activist Claims Scaffolding Slowly Killing Trees in Village
Scaffolding at 838 Greenwich Street has blocked one large tree and three smaller ones from receiving adequate sunlight and water, claims a poster on social media. Residents have voiced their concerns on Nextdoor, and both the Parks Department and District 3 Council Member Erik Bottcher’s office have been contacted.
| 17 Jul 2025 | 12:07
On Greenwich Street, a lone street tree is receiving the silent treatment, its canopy completely starved of sun and rain due to scaffolding surrounding it. Residents have taken to the hyperlocal platform Nextdoor to voice their concerns, labeling the intrusive “disgusting” and a waste of tax dollars.
“The scaffolding at 838 Greenwich Street—not Avenue—is completely blocking a tree from getting ANY sunlight or water,” wrote Nextdoor user Sara Jones. She says the scaffolding above the tree was unnecessary since the tree doesn’t reach the level where the brickwork on the building is happening. “It’s disgusting, and now the tree looks like it’s dying because of it. They’re basically killing a tree we all paid for with our tax dollars,” she posted.
While the large tree remains the central concern, three other smaller trees have also been hampered from receiving sunlight and water.
Under NYC law, it is illegal and punishable by law for citizens to remove, kill, or damage a street or park tree, whether intentionally or accidentally. Punishments for these actions vary, ranging from fines up to $1,000 and/or imprisonment up to 90 days, according to Title 18, Chapter 1, Section 18-129 of the New York City Administrative Code.
When Straus Media revealed the situation to the Parks Department, they said that no forestry service requests had been received for this tree, but they plan to take action.
“Forestry staff will inspect the trees and if necessary we will reach out to the scaffolding company to request a correction,” said Meghan Lalor, Assistant Commissioner for Communications, NYC Parks. “If New Yorkers see any trees being negatively impacted by scaffolding or other construction work, we ask them to please report it through 311.”
Straus Media also informed District 3 Council Member Erik Bottcher’s office of the issue, and they have reached out to the NYC DOT and NYC DOB. Bottcher is a big advocate of tree planting in his district which covers parts of the Village, Chelsea/Hell’s Kitchen and parts of the UWS neighborhoods. In 2024, he added $800,000 to his community funding initiative to plant the 500th tree in City Council district 4 and more recently said he hopes to push the total to 1,000 trees. We’re awaiting a response and a formal statement on the trees in question on Greenwich St.