Rat Infestation Terrifies and Angers Upper West Side Block

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010
87th-wea-riverside

87th between West End and Riverside. Photo source: Google Street View

The typically peaceful block of 87th between West End Avenue and Riverside Drive has been terrified lately by an infestation of rats, according to My Upper West tipster Harley B.  The tipster, a resident of the block, describes a rat problem that is out of control.  He says that “it is not uncommon to see between 10 and 12 rats running all over the place” during nightfall.  The rats are making dog owners afraid to take their dogs out after dark, and they even ate through a resident’s brake wires in her car, causing $800 worth of damage.  Our tipster describes “screaming and hissing” sounds of rats under cars, with the number of them seemingly multiplying and finding new homes rapidly.  Many residents of the block have been putting their heads together in makeshift community meetings to try to find a way to get the problem under control.  From filing complaints with supers and landlords to calling 311 to file a complaint with the city countless times, the residents are working hard to get help for the rat problem.  So far, their complaints have gone unanswered.  The rats continue to terrify the block while frustrated residents are nearing their wits’ end.  City Councilwoman Gale Brewer has not yet responded to our request for comments.

Tell us… do you live in the vicinity of 87th between West End Avenue and Riverside Drive?  Do you have further information on this Upper West Side rat infestation?  Send your input to “alerts [at] myupperwest.com,” and we will continue to update our readers on this story.



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Filed under: News, Upper West Side, Upper West Side Blog 14 Comments »
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  • Kate

    Um, what? I live on this block and I never see rats. Maybe it’s worse down toward the park? Maybe I’m not out often enough at night to experience it? Where are the rats?

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  • Yasmin Z

    Ugh- this is unfortunately true. The situation is absolutely out of control. Hopefully something is done ASAP. I pay way too much rent to be having these kind of problems on my block!

  • Tiffany S

    I like on 87th and Columbus and my whole building is experiencing this problem! Ick!

  • Alexi

    There have been issues with rats ever since the Extell develpment on 86th and west end. Since they are nearing completion, the rats are all out of the construction building and moved elsewhere. Sadly, the rats go wherever they can…Jewish landlords dont give a rats arse to rectify the problem with exterminators. Dont hold onto your pennies too long…

  • Ann O’Shea

    I have called 311 3 times to lodge a complaint and was told each time that my complaint had been sent to the departments of health and environmental protection. That was over 2 months ago, and it has gotten worse. I sometimes am in my car waiting for a parking space at night, about a third of the way down the block, and you can see the rats running back and forth across the street. It is hideous and terrifying. I wonder if the film companies will want to keep making movies on the block if they have to fight off the rats. Either they will drive the rats away or the rats will drive them away. In either case, we will be rid of some pests.

  • Anonymous

    Maybe you guys should go to Brownsville or East NY and see how many rats run around instead of bitching about ten rats that you see at night on the Upper West Side. Must be tough being you.

  • Ethan

    In response to Alexi’s posting at 5:18 pm, do you think you could keep your anti-semitic rants to yourself? In the meantime, I’ll pray that your attacked by a swarm of rats 1 night as your walking back home.

  • http://twitter.com/kriheli Richard

    @Alexi – I wouldn’t turn this into a religious/cultural matter – because really the city is to blame. Anti-semitism is an issue you are directly contributing with your comments and folks that slander other cultures and races need the most repair.

    I live on 87th as well (but near Central Park) and have yet to see a significant issue. I’ve seen mice in the area, but nothing I’ve been alarmed about. I sympathize with those on the other side of bway, and would love to get involved to get folks to clean stuff up.

    The last thing this community needs is infestation by vermin both rodent and human types.

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  • regina

    This is ABSOLUTELY true. My husband and I look out our window down to the street at night and see them running back and forth. It is a bit unsettling to watch. Countless number of times I have heard people screaming in surprise and horror when they cross paths with them on our block.

    @Anonymous, rats are a problem anywhere whether they be 10 or 100 and should be dealt with with equal importance as they are carriers of disease. I don’t know if you and your neighbors are taking a proactive approach to YOUR rat problem, but we ARE. Just because you hold the monopoly on the rat population doesn’t mean we shouldn’t complain or take action against ours. Nor should your infestation entitle you with any sense of superiority, Willard (sadly, you probably didn’t get that reference).

  • UWSer

    i’ve lived on the UWS for 8 years and have been used to seeing mice and roaches on the sidewalks at nite in the summertime — but i was very surprised last saturday nite around midnight when walking down 82nd street (between Broadway and the park) I saw a large rat near some garbage cans in front of a building, then another one just a few doors down. I’ve never seen rats at night before in this area and I’m afraid it may not be a problem limited to a small area anymore but the entire upper west side…

  • Patricia

    I’m on 88th close to Riverside in a garden level brownstone apt and the mice showed up about 4 months ago in full force. I could hear them in the walls! There is another brownstone on 88th getting renovated so I think that contributed to the rats/mice. I borrowed 2 cats from a friend for about a week to scare the mice out of the apartment. I do see bigger rats often on the streets more now than ever.

  • UpperBestSider

    Sadly so so true and so so gross. I live on 82nd and there’s one building near Amsterdam that has a sidewalk level garbage area and each trash day my roommates and I do our best to avoid “rat alley” as we affectionally call it. There’s an older woman who constantly feeds pigeons on the block near the church and there’s been petitions to make her stop since it attracts rats but no dice. I fear a rat crossing my path more than getting mugged. Did I mention rats are my biggest fear? ugh.