Cell tower unused six months after it was put up

The new cellphone tower built behind the Acanthus Lodge at 4133 Urbandale Avenue remains unused six months after it was erected in February.

And, the tower itself is showing signs of discoloration, with patches of brown where it appears the pole's surface is either flaking off or degrading.

Some neighbors objected to the tower last year, calling it a potential eyesore in the heart of the Beaverdale neighborhood.

The 150-foot tall monopole was erected by a North Carolina company, Tower Co, after a permitting process last year. Tower Co rents the space in the parking lot behind Acanthus Lodge from the lodge. Tower Co told neighbors last year that it intended to lease antenna space to cellphone provider T-Mobile because T-Mobile needed to improve its coverage in the neighborhood.

But, six months after the tower was erected in February, there are no antennas on the tower.

Beaverdale.org reached out to both Tower Co and T-Mobile for updates. Lyssa Ledger, a Senior Communications Manager for T-Mobile, said the company expects to put the tower in service "over the next month or so." Ledger did not say what has caused the delay.

When Beaverdale.org notified Tower Co of the deteriorating appearance of the tower, National Director of Zoning Carrie Fazzolari said her company has reached out to the tower vendor for information.