The 41 modern townhouses that line West 117th Street between Lenox and ACP/7th Avenue were all built as affordable housing a decade ago and the Malcolm Shabazz Gardens are another example of low level contextual housing in Harlem. All of the 3-family homes apparently sold out immediately when placed on the market and the block today is an interesting addition to the vernacular of Harlem brownstones. As seen from the top photos, the scale of the townhouse are similar to ones built over a century ago but the motifs take on a modern, geometric pattern in the stonework and the cast iron details. Walking by a house at number 118, we noticed that a particular homeowner decided to bring back a classic touch to the doorway portico (lower photo). Either way, this development was a thoughtful way of reviving a block and attracting new homeowners from the community right before the major construction boom in the area started up. Read more about the townhouses in the original press release:
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I like this development a lot. The exteriors of the buildings are interesting and attractive. I'm not sure I would like to live in them due to the fact that the enormous bay windows only serve to illuminate the common stairwells. The apartments seem to have very small windows and probably receive very little light. But kudos to the developer for breaking the mold for multi-family townhouses.
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