New York Finally Gets Some Sleep

But the reason for it isn't necessarily a good thing

New York has long been known as "the city that never sleeps," but it appears the economic meltdown has ushered in a new era of shut-eye.

Less city money means fewer construction projects. Less money in people's pockets means less hubbub in shopping centers. And less noise translates to fewer calls to the city's 311 hot line to complain about it.

Such complaints plunged by more than 16 percent between January and March compared with the first quarter last year – from 9,292 to 7,755 – according to The New York Post.

"Part of the drop in complaints is certainly because there is less activity," Gerry Kelpin, head of the city Department of Environmental Protection air and noise unit, told the paper. 

The city received only 577 applications for building permits in the first quarter of last year – nearly 45 percent fewer than the year before, according to Department of Buildings data. Construction workers may be losing sleep over the lack of jobs in the industry, but for plenty of New Yorkers, it means an uninterrupted night of rest.

Gripes about noise from construction work and jackhammers dropped 29 percent and 28 percent, respectively, this year, reported the Post.

And no more do angry residents, eyelids heavy with need for sleep, call to fume about the noise from garbage trucks bungling about the streets at ungodly hours. Well, not as many. City operators got only 136 complaints in the first three months of the year – a 44 percent drop from the same time last year, according to the Post.

It's not all quiet in the big city, however. Down on their luck, many New Yorkers may be turning to party-going to drown their sorrows. And they're rowdier than ever. Grumbling about wild parties and loud music from January to March jumped nearly 20 percent over the same time period last year, the Post reported.

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