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:  March 29, 2004


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