The city spent tens of thousands of dollars on a fancy newsstand in Brooklyn Criminal Court meant to be manned by blind workers — only to find out the stand was completely unworkable for the blind and must be replaced, sources told The Post.
The new newsstand now sits unused in the courthouse lobby and the city plans to correct its shortsighted mistake by spending tens of thousands more on a new stand, the sources said.
“It’s a waste of city and taxpayer money,” one court source fumed. “The city drew and designed this without talking to the people who operate it. It just shows the city’s stupidity and arrogance.”
The city says it spent $40,000 for the stand, but a source said the cost was closer to $90,000, and the current plan was to spend even more on its replacement.
The Commission for the Blind rejected the stand this summer partly because the location of its shelves would have been paradise for shoplifters.
“It might not be the most secure at securing merchandise,” said Gary Grassman, chairperson for the State Committee of Blind Vendors. “Especially if you put a totally blind manager in the location, it could lead to thefts.”
Said one court source, “Let’s face it. It’s in the lobby of a courtroom, so you might get a few criminals walking by who wouldn’t think twice about stealing from a blind guy.”
The source added the poorly planned newsstand would likely end up in the trash.
“It’s expensive firewood for some politician,” the source said.
The stand also was rejected because the area behind the counter is too small to accommodate a blind worker’s cane or seeing-eye dog, a government source said.
The source added another reason the stand was rejected. It sits outside the lobby’s metal detectors, meaning customers and employees would have to be rescreened after visiting the stand.
“As part of a major and vital rehabilitation of the Kings County Criminal Court, we are adding a new newsstand and investing to make it accessible,” said a spokesman for the city Department of Design and Construction.
The Office of the Criminal Justice Coordinator ordered the DDC to build the stand as part of a $38 million courthouse renovation.
City courthouse newsstands are operated by blind workers through a program run by the state Commission for the Blind.
Pat Piccirillo, 61, who operates the current lobby newsstand, agreed a new one is needed.
“This stand I’m in is 20 years old,” said Piccirillo, who has worked courthouse stands for 10 years. “The shelves are falling down.”