Hell's Kitchen high school claims fumes from next door repair shop are getting into classrooms
HELL'S KITCHEN (WABC) -- In a city like New York, the commandment "Thou shalt love thy neighbor" is not necessarily an easy ask.
Living so close together means disputes can get downright nasty.
Students and staff at Beacon High School in Manhattan have been battling with their neighbors for quite some time.
It's a taxi repair shop.
The school claims fumes and the smell of gasoline has become a real burden -- and now the Department of Education and city inspectors are involved.
For years, Beacon High School on West 44th Street claims Mike's Yellow Taxi Management can't keep their fumes from getting into the classrooms.
So much so, that they've even caused multiple classrooms to be evacuated.
"My history classroom had to be permanently moved to the third floor because it was just happening all the time. My music teacher quit because his classroom was consistently having high levels," Ava Baranowski, Junior at Beacon High School said.
Baranowski said the fumes are getting in through an HVAC system that sits about the garage.
Baranowski joined a group of students hoping to clean up the odor that she says has caused students to feel sick.
"Chemicals have been coming in. Students and teachers are working in like early dangerous environment," Baranowski said.
The Department of Education released a statement which read in part, "The safety and wellbeing of our students is our top priority. We are aware of this issue, caused by the taxi stand neighboring the school, and have serious concerns about the unacceptable improper ventilation and fume management of that establishment."
The shop owner told Eyewitness News they have no violations and they believe this is all just pressure from the school to sell the garage.
"It's harassment. It's harassment. A judge ruled this is a legit place. This is a garage. This is a repair shop. Who are they to say otherwise? Co-owner of Mikes Yellow Taxi Management Elisheva Sinder said.
Sinder and her husband Mike claim in the past two years, they've had at least 6 visits from multiple city agencies including the Department of Buildings and the Taxi and Limousine Commission and they said they've never received a violation.
"We are a legit place. We operate legit and I'm just used to everybody coming, saying, seeing nothing and going," Sinder said.
Sinder believes the fumes may be coming from the other repair shops next door, the mounds of garbage the school leaves out front, or the line of school buses that idle out front to pick up students.
"It's definitely not the busses, it's not the trash we have. Like it's from the system. It's taking in the fumes from directly the taxi shop, which is where the track system is located," Baranowski.
Sinder says they plan to keep operating as is, but Baranowski is hoping this problem is solved long before she graduates.
"I think it's a good school, but this problem has, in my opinion, gotten worse. Like I've seen it become more of a problem throughout my time on Beacon and I really want to see it fixed," Baranowski said.
The Department of Education plans to purchase new charcoal filters before considering other costly options like purchasing the property next door or relocating the HVAC system entirely.
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
