In the past year, four confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease have surfaced across two Parkchester condominium buildings in the Bronx, prompting city action and resident concern. Two cases were reported at 22 and 28 Metropolitan Oval, followed one month later by two more at 1576 Unionport Road.
The New York City Health Department has launched an evaluation of the buildings and begun remediation efforts, including a temporary shutdown of the steam plant to conduct necessary repairs. Health officials emphasized that these cases are unrelated to the much larger outbreak in Central Harlem, which has been linked to cooling towers, unlike the Bronx cases tied to plumbing systems.
Residents have voiced frustration with communication efforts within the buildings. Notices placed in building lobbies were often overlooked, and many called for more detailed updates about ongoing remediation.
City officials have provided water-use guidelines and reassured that cluster investigations like this one—localized to a specific building rather than several buildings—are less likely to escalate into broader outbreaks.
