I give up: what the hell are these?

I’d like you all to take a minute and look at the above image. Perhaps you’ve seen this before? It’s 1 of 30 or so objects of the same kind located up and down 5th and 7th avenue. Sometimes the traffic cone is there. Other times, it’s just a black concrete square with four metal pipes poking out on each end. For the past two months I have been trying to figure out what the hell these things are supposed to be, and it’s driving me nuts.

I’ve done my research, too. I’ve asked meter maids and restaurant owners. Fireman and mailmen. Neighborhood residents and police officers. I’ve checked every free newspaper in every pizza place and coffee shop around. Searched every local blog I could think of. I even started looking at those community boards in the laundromat, wondering whether someone had taken out a missing ad looking for their “concrete cone structures.” Nothing.

I feel like I’m the only one noticing these things. I’ve asked friends in the ‘hood about them before, and every time I get a blank stare and a shake of the head, even after I started carrying around a picture just to prove that I wasn’t crazy. I still got nothing!

THEM: I don’t know what you’re talking about, Dave.
ME: Really? They’re square pieces of black concrete with big metal pipes coming from them. At the edge of the sidewalk. Sometimes there’s a giant traffic cone on it! All up and down 7th and 5th avenue? How are you not seeing this!?!
THEM: I don’t know. Weird. Perhaps it’s just a South Slope thing?
ME: AHHHHHHHHH!!!!

I’m sure they have something to do with a construction project. Maybe ConEd’s putting in some new electrical something or other? Gas pipes? Electric car plug-in stations? Hell, I’ve been so frustrated by this, I even started to wonder whether phone booths were making a comeback. Anything to solve this mystery!

So I ask you, dear FIPS friends. What the hell are these things?