NYC plans to demolish two NYCHA buildings, build new apartments for public housing residents
The New York City Housing Authority will demolish and redevelop two massive and crumbling public housing complexes on Manhattan’s West Side as part of a $1.5 billion effort, officials announced Wednesday.
The sweeping redevelopment deal calls for the construction of more than 2,000 new public housing apartments at the Fulton Houses and Chelsea-Elliot Houses, enough for every resident currently residing at the existing building🤪s, officials said late Tuesday.
“This is how you c🔯reate new public housing for the next generation, this is what we need,” said Miguel Avecedo, president of the Fulton Houses Tenant Association.
“We can’t conti🤡nue to depend on money the federal government hasn’t given to public housing for decad🐽es,” Avecedo said.
The new units would include amenities rarely seen in public housing, including r🍨esident-controlled in-unit heating and cooling, new dishwashers, washers, and dryers.
Under the plan, which by The New York Times, rents will remain fixed at 30% of a tena๊nt’s income.
Authorities will finance the project in part by allowing the construction of an additional 3,500 apartments across the two campuses: Roughly 2,600 units will charge market rate rents in one of the toniest parts of Manhattan, genera♎ting substantial revenues; while the remaining 900 units would be set aside for working class and middle-income households.
The reconstructio𒁃n and redevelopment of both campu𓃲ses will be spearheaded by Essence Development and Related Companies, which built nearby Hudson Yards.
City officials took pains Tuesday to point out the heavy tenant involvement in the crafting of the plan, which began as an attempt to rehab♓ilitate the existing low and high-r✃ise buildings.
However, the buildings were found to be in such a state of disrepair that it would be cheaper and easier to kno♕ck them down and start over.
“I am excited that the residents of Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea Houses have seized their opportunity to plan their own future,” said Mayor Eric Adams in a statement. “No one knows better than the residents what they and their neighbors need, and they were smart to recognize the potential benefits of completely rebuilding their campus.
Officials have sought ꧙for y🎃ears to allow market-rate development at NYCHA campuses as one way to help finance the estimated $40 billion in badly needed repairs across the agency’s 270-plus campuses across the city.
In 2019, NYCHA first floated the possibility of demolishing rise buildings in the Fulton Houses to make space f﷽or new apartments, but turned back amid fierce oppositi🧔on from tenants who did not believe the authority would hold up to its promise to ensure they got housing.
“We support the tenants and believe they should have control over their own destinies,” said local C🤪ouncilman Erik Bottcher, D-Manhattan,🉐 who backed the deal after tenants at both complexes signed on.