The controversial 8-story affordable housing building planned for a brownstone block on West 123rd Street appears to have broken ground. We walked by this section located between FDB/8th and ACP/7th this past weekend and noticed that the adjacent parking lot of the existing public housing complex has been deconstructed. Construction equipment was on site and work permits are up with a finish date of January 9th 2014. As some might remember, the block association rallied to get a more contextual building that would not be so tall for this new development but the community board approved the project based on the need for more affordable housing.
is this "public housing" or "affordable housing". not the same thing, right?
ReplyDeleteI can assure what this community does not need is MORE affordable housing that is subsidized for people who are self entitled and do not work for a living.
ReplyDeleteAbyssinian Development Corp is a good-hearted and politically connected organization but they have proved themselves again and again as completely incompetent in managing properties effectively over the long term.
ReplyDeleteThis project will not only become a boondogle but will end up hurting Harlem by overdevelopment, because of ADC's perpetual financial mismanagement and bumbling.
At this moment the property should not even be built. The CB10 Land Use Committee gave provisional and conditional approval for ADC to go ahead with construction TWO YEARS AGO if they followed through on four reports...
1. The provision of a complete plan for phase 3 (knocking down the low rises on 124th to be replaced with towers) with periodic update to
milestones such as financing, architecture drawings, and EIS Study as an example.
2. The development and implementation of a comprehensive action plan to improve the security and safety of Ennis Frances Houses and its impact of the surrounding block.
3. The provision of a written action plan to address the issue of vacancy
as it relates to safety and security on west 124th Street should phase 3 not commence immediately following phase 2.
4. The provision of a written action plan detailing procedures to remedy
the impact of construction on pedestrian and vehicular traffic along West 123rd and West 124th Streets.
TWO YEARS ADC has not delivered so recently CB10 Land Use Committee rescinded its approval of the construction.
Why is this still being built? ADC shows itself to not be able to deal with even the most simple procedural parts of a project.
If you look at their public 990 tax reports you can clearly see that they are running out of money and this this "affordable" housing will have to be sold in few years and be turned into market rent and ADC will have facilitated the continuing overbuilding and hollowing out of Harlem.
It is shocking how sloppy ADC is with the littlest things...
In my experience, ADC will lie and cheat when it serves their purposes. They are a unique group.
ReplyDeleteA friend tells me they have a situation developing with some townhouses they developed. It seems they used substandard materials and a crappy contractor to put it all together. Now as things are falling apart they are taking no responsibility. Very difficult people and no concern for the public.
You know mjs I think you are on to something. I've noticed how terribly mis-managed the existing properties ADC has under their hat. Also, one need only look at the Renaissance Ballroom fiasco and how long that is taking to become 'something' One wonders at what exactly does ADC need in order to really do what is required to do in order to provide affordable housing in Harlem since they have taken that on as one of their many missions. As for Guest, yes public & affordable housing is desperately need in a community where people are displaced by the gentrification going on and don't feel a part of the mix! Don't paint everyone with such a broad brush. The majority of Harlemites (both Spanish, East and Central Harlem) are working people, trying desperately to afford to continue to live here. The 'self-entitled' among us are few and far between and "I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WHAT THIS COMMUNITY NEEDS IS MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT SELF-ENTITLED AND WORK SO HARD SO THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE." Now one of you kind young people help me down off this cross.LOL.
ReplyDeleteMy understanding of the project, as it was presented to the block association several years ago, is: Phase 1) converting common space in the 7th ave building for retail space. completed several years ago, still no tenants. Phase 2) Mixed rental (some "affordable") on 123rd. Phase 3) Replace the 2 story building on 124 with 11 story condos (or co-ops) 20% "affordable". While they have been waiting, the two story building is being emptied, and apartments left unoccupied. The Ennis Francis houses have been plagued with troubles for decades, but have been home to many in a neighborhood that has become increasingly unaffordable. In the end, this project will be a net loss of "income targeted" (phrase used by the community board) housing, and more of the kind of development that have become common place. I'm not saying that is bad, but ADC sold this to the community board as fair housing for people that need it, and in the end I don't think that is what it will be.
ReplyDeleteone of the main concerns about the project is not so much the building itself (height, aesthetics), but rather ADC's track record. they are over-extended as it is, with an inability to properly manage the building stock they've already developed or inherited. as this will will be a sizeable building (proportional to the size of the block),there just isn't a lot of confidence that they can adequately manage more new projects. it appears they need to focus on getting their existing house(s) in order first. this would allow them to demonstrate to the community that they are a capable player within the real estate industry. instead they seem distracted with acquiring new work they can't handle properly and leaving a trail of embarrassment behind them.
ReplyDeleteADC is aware that Ennis Francis has a lot of problems that they still do not have under control yet they are building more housing. First control the problems,learn,implement,then build.
ReplyDelete