school’s rooftop ball court opposed

An effort by Rodeph Sholom School administrators to build a basketball court on the roof of the West 79th Street school was dealt a setback by the local Community Board, which cited residents’ concerns of noise and blocked views among reason for blocking the plan.

The city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission will, however, have the final say on a proposed 20-foot high chain-link cage enclosure that would be placed on the perimeter of the school’s roof, above the historic building’s sixth story. The basketball court would allow the school’s upper grade students to play at staggered recess times throughout the day.

Rodeph Sholom administrators had analyzed issues of noise, and changed court materials to ones that would better absorb sound. They had also reduced the height of the cage enclosure from 25 feet, which, according to an architect contracted by the school, was the recommended height for a basketball court for the age group, the architect said.

“We respect our neighbors’ concerns, and we are working to address them as best we can while meeting the needs of the children for whom we are responsible,” Danny Karpf, Rodeph Sholom’s incoming head of school, said following the board vote. “Students, parents, teachers, and administrators all strongly believe in the importance of increasing the opportunity for outdoor recess for our Middle School students — and basketball is a key component of recess for this age group.”

But a nearby resident, David Schatsky, whose bedroom window is about 10 feet away from the proposed roof play deck, said if the court was installed, it would “look like a grand penitentiary.” Speaking following a Dec. 1 CB7 committee meeting that addressed the issue, he cited additional concerns about noise and privacy, including “for people who work at home and for retirees.”

Schatsky pointed out that the school already has two basketball courts, one in school’s gymnasium in addition to the one in the backyard. “Why do they need a third one?” he asked.

At the Dec. 1 meeting, members of CB7’s Landmarks Preservation Committee listened to residents’ impassioned concerns, with one member reminded residents that the board is limited to determining “whether or not a particular project is ‘appropriate’ to the landmark or within the context of the historic district.”

Despite their stated “narrow purview” on the matter, board members offered alternate ideas, many which had also been expressed by the public, including a garden, another suggested a green wall. “A green wall or two or three means a lot of green for those losing their view and could give sound protection, and may give the balance you neighbors are asking for,” one board member said.

Carlos Haro, another resident whose apartment is also near roof level to the proposed plan, stated that he and his wife recently moved to the apartment and have a 7-month old baby: “At that age they’re all about naps,” he said after the Dec. 1 meeting. “If from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. every single day, there are eight balls dribbling at the same time, hitting the ground, the fence, the backboard at very close proximity, we will have to move.”

It had also been brought up that in prior years the school had built a play deck in their back yard (which also features basketball) for lower grades, and to win favor from residents, had promised that they would never ask for the community to endure more changes of that kind in the future.

A petition signed by 51 neighboring residents who oppose the court was presented to the full board before its Dec. 6 meeting, and the board ultimately voted against approving the height of the cage.

Schatsky was encouraged by CB7’s decision, but nevertheless, cautious. “This is far from over, of course,” he said after that meeting. “The school may still seek a hearing with Landmarks, and Landmarks is not obligated to follow the community board’s recommendation.”