Kips Bay center seniors soaked in sweat without working AC for second day in a row
Administrators say they’ve been dealing with this issue since last summer.
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Seniors at the Kips Bay Castle Hill Senior Center say parts of the location designed to be a cooling center still aren’t cool despite the heat sweeping the city.
The senior center was on the list of cooling centers open across the city for those seeking relief from this extreme heat. When News 12 arrived, some seniors were seen cooling in some rooms and sweating in others. The center was since was removed from the list.
Administrators told News 12 there are four rooms with air-conditioning. That’s where most of the older adults gathered to enjoy activities the past two days. When it comes to places like the cafeteria, kitchen, and hallway, it’s just as hot as it is outside.
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News 12 discovered NYCHA owns the building. The agency referred to the city's Department of Aging, which operates the cooling centers across New York City. The department responded to the situation saying, "We will continue to work with our NYCHA colleagues to address the air conditioner issues at this location.”
“We don’t know where they’re going to go. They can only stay there for a certain period and then our cafeteria is steaming hot. They can sit there, but they’re sweating. We have fans going on, but it’s still hot in there," says Marilyn Villanueva, assistant administrator of the site.
Administrators say they’ve been dealing with this issue since last summer. They say NYCHA has been out to make repairs to the cooling system in the past, but no permanent repairs have been made.
