Walking Along Cortelyou Rd.: An Accident Waiting to Happen?

I can't count the number of times I have seen the sidewalk basement doors open from different stores at various times, and I've said to myself “there is an accident waiting to happen.” Well, you know when the final straw breaks the camel's back or in this case, I just didn't want to continue walking by the one store that I kept seeing doing it repeatedly, even after I have talked with staff/management about their "basement sidewalk doors being open and unattended."

The first time was about a month ago, the most recent about 2 nights ago and then today, and that is Natural Frontier on Stratford and Cortelyou Roads.

Today, I made sure to speak with the manager, Saresh, and not just one of the staff. I told him that the sidewalk basement doors were open with no one in attendance. His response was that the doors need to be open in order to receive deliveries. I informed Saresh that even though they needed to receive deliveries there needs to be someone watching, or the doors should be closed.

The truth of the matter was that there were nothing being delivered at that moment. And just prior to my speaking to Natural Frontier manager Saresh a mother with two daughters, one approximately 3yrs and the other about 8yrs had exited their store, walking past this dangerous condition.

Which is exactly the reason, this has become such a thing with me, because the first time I complained it had been a little girl about 2 years of age that just missed going down the gaping hole by just a few inches. When I had passed the store earlier at 12:30 p.m. they were receiving deliveries, but the merchandise was stacked in front of the basement doors by the delivery personnel, thereby blocking anyone from falling in. But upon my returning to the area at 2:17 p.m. the basement doors were wide open, there were no boxes and there was no one in sight.

I know that theirs is not the only business establishment that has done this, but having noticed it on numerous times, I just couldn't let it go by, not today. Maybe because today was the first day of school and my gears were in motion. Today I took out my phone, photographed what I saw, spoke with the manager, called 311 with my complaint (confirmation or complaint # C1-1-780759716), and now I am writing about it. The 311 operator informed me that, an employee needs to be in attendance when sidewalk basement doors are open, and the complaint would be forwarded to the Department of Transportation.

Interestingly enough, also today, walking on Cortelyou Road I came upon Purple Yam with their sidewalk basement doors open, but they had a mesh cover over the opening and a “danger of falling” sign at the entrance, and a moment later someone came out and closed the doors. Apparently, Purple Yam has a very different and positive attitude towards community safety and one that Natural Frontier should emulate for everyone's safety.