A techie firm is pitching Mayor Eric Adams a latest design to exchange a planned network of hulking 5G cell phone antenna towers that has drawn opposition from parts of town for being too ugly and intrusive.
Comptek has as an alternative proposed smaller, more elegant poles that will be affixed or connected to lampposts and higher blend into the landscape than the 32-foot-high antenna towers.
“We’re truly excited to propose this solution to Latest York City, which can address the aesthetic issues raised by various communities and enable every neighborhood to secure the web access they need,” said Comptek Chief Executive Officer and founder Jim Lockwood.
Lockwood emphasized that the corporate will seek the advice of with community residents, who could have input on the pole designs to match the local architecture and character.
“Once each neighborhood selects the pole design consistent with the present street lighting fixtures already arrayed on their streets, we will deploy this solution inside six months,” he told The Post.
“We sit up for working with City officials and communities to advance this essential goal while maintaining the appear and feel of neighborhoods across the City.”
The corporate, which got its start in Gramercy Park in 2002, has erected smart pole technologies with similar features in Los Angeles, Denver and other major cities in the US.
“From Los Angeles and Portland, to El Paso and thru the Midwest to the East Coast, we’ve worked closely with communities to design 5G, WiFi, and multiple technology streetlight poles that match community characteristics and goals,” Lockwood said.
“This extensive track record of successful telecommunication projects across the nation enables us to take our advanced, patented technology and work with community partners to develop designs that consistently meet their approval.”
Opposition to the present planned towers has been fierce in a few of the city’s toniest neighborhoods, including in Soho and in Carnegie Hill on the Upper East Side, where there are historic, landmarked streets — similar to the fashionable and touristy Park Avenue, Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue shopping districts.
The two,000 towering structures that add 5G network access are being installed as a part of an agreement between town and tech consortium CityBridge, which owns LinkNYC and Link5G.
But Rep. Jerrold Nadler, who represents Manhattan’s East and West Side, wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chair Jessica Rosenworcel in April, demanding a review of the towers under National Historic Preservation Act.
While agreeing with the necessity to expand broadband capability, the Democrat expressed concern that the 32-foot towers can be “out of context” in historic districts.
He also co-signed a letter sent to town Landmarks Preservation Commission — along with Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, state Sen. Liz Krueger, Assembly members Alex Bores and Rebecca Seawright and Council members Keith Powers and Julie Menin — making the identical argument.
Critics have slammed liberal Nadler as being more concerned with aesthetics, relatively than with addressing more pressing issues similar to crime.
Nadler’s office has been briefed on Comptek’s proposal for smaller towers and a rep for the congressman said Adams should consider implementing it.
“It’s revolutionary solution. It may very well be a win-win for everyone,” said Nadler spokesman Robert Gottheim.
“You may get 5G and preserve the streetscapes of neighborhoods. We’re proposing that town take a have a look at it,” he said.
Politicians and residents aren’t the one ones squawking in regards to the 5G towers.
Former Knicks basketball star John Starks objected when town had certainly one of the structures installed smack in front of his Kia automobile dealership in Queens.
The Adams administration, via its lead agency, the Office of Technology and Innovation, said it’s going to review Comptek’s design.
“From design improvements to latest digital services and more robust community programming, the Office of Technology and Innovation is all the time completely happy to listen to and evaluate latest ideas for tactics to strengthen our various technology programs as we proceed to work to shut the digital divide,” an OTI spokesman said.
Any design change to Link5G kiosks would require extensive public review and approval from the Public Design Commission.
Margaux Knee, a rep for City Bridge, which owns and operates LinkNYC, defended the present 5G towers, which were approved.
“Link5Gs have undergone a rigorous public review process for the past three years, including presentation of other designs to the Public Design Commission, and we’re in the midst of deploying them across NYC. We remain focused on bringing this essential profit to many more communities where there may be an urgent need without spending a dime public WiFi and high speed broadband,” Knee said.