Exhibit 31.1
                    CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

I, Steven S. Elbaum, certify that:

1.    I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of The Alpine Group, Inc.;

2.    Based on my knowledge,  this report does not contain any untrue  statement
      of a material fact or omit to state a material fact  necessary to make the
      statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements
      were made,  not  misleading  with  respect  to the period  covered by this
      report;

3.    Based on my knowledge,  the consolidated  financial statements,  and other
      financial  information  included  in this  report,  fairly  present in all
      material respects the financial condition,  results of operations and cash
      flows of the  registrant  as of, and for,  the periods  presented  in this
      report;

4.    The  registrant's  other  certifying  officer(s) and I are responsible for
      establishing  and  maintaining  disclosure  controls  and  procedures  (as
      defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e),  for the registrant
      and have:

            (a)   designed such disclosure  controls and  procedures,  or caused
                  such  disclosure  and  procedures  to be  designed  under  our
                  supervision,  to ensure that material  information relating to
                  the registrant,  including its consolidated  subsidiaries,  is
                  made known to us by others within those entities, particularly
                  during the period in which this report is being prepared;

            (b)   evaluated the  effectiveness  of the  registrant's  disclosure
                  controls  and  procedures  and  presented  in this  report our
                  conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls
                  and  procedures,  as of the end of the period  covered by this
                  report based on such evaluation; and

            (c)   disclosed  in  this  report  any  change  in the  registrant's
                  internal control over financial reporting that occurred during
                  the registrant's  most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant's
                  fourth  fiscal  quarter in the case of an annual  report) that
                  has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially
                  affect,  the  registrant's  internal  control  over  financial
                  reporting; and

5.    The registrant's other certifying  officer(s) and I have disclosed,  based
      on  our  most  recent   evaluation  of  internal  control  over  financial
      reporting,  to the  registrant's  auditors and the audit  committee of the
      registrant's  board of directors  (or persons  performing  the  equivalent
      functions):

            (a)   all significant  deficiencies  and material  weaknesses in the
                  design  or  operation  of  internal   control  over  financial
                  reporting which are reasonably  likely to adversely affect the
                  registrant's ability to record, process,  summarize and report
                  financial information; and

            (b)   any fraud,  whether or not material,  that involves management
                  or  other  employees  who  have  a  significant  role  in  the
                  registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

      Date: October 22, 2004



                                              /s/Steven S. Elbaum
                                              -------------------
                                              Steven S. Elbaum
                                              Chief Executive Officer