A reader points us to some good news via Joe. My. God. .... The long-vacant building at 222 E. 13th St. near Third Avenue is becoming the Bea Arthur Residence.
Here's the official word from the Cooper Square Committee, who has been spearheading the campaign:
The Cooper Square Committee and the Ali Forney Center have been awarded $3 million by the City Council and an additional $300,000 by Borough President Scott Stringer to develop housing for up to 18 homeless LGBT youth at 222 East 13th Street, which will be formally named the Bea Arthur Residence.
Bea Arthur was an advocate and supporter of the Ali Forney Center and its mission.
The property is currently owned by the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development, which will soon begin the Uniform Land Use Review Process (ULURP) in order to transfer the property to our organizations so that we can begin renovations.
Last October, CB3's Land Use Commitee unanimously voted in support of the proposal at the former SRO and notorious crack house that has been boarded up for nearly 20 years.
[November 2010]Previously on EV Grieve:
A haunted house on 13th Street?
I expect some interesting interactions betweens these residents and the ones who will live directly across the street, in the new condos that are to be built on the site of the Mystery Lot.
ReplyDeletevery cool!
ReplyDeleteAdam K., I agree...especially if by "interesting" you mean objections.
ReplyDeleteI would rather see the City sell this site (~$4MM) to a private developer and use all the money (~$7.3 MM) to take over a larger, newer, cheaper facility in BK or Queens. $3.3 MM is barely going to cover the building rehab, let alone operating budget, and housing only 12-18 kids is a joke. An irresponsible use of gov't funds - surprise, surprise.
ReplyDeleteHey, I signed that petition! This is great news. Congrats to them.
ReplyDeleteVery wasteful considering how far that much money could go just slightly in an outer-borough. That building is falling down and they're going to spend a huge amount on renovating it all for 18 kids.
ReplyDeleteI imagine if I spent a little time researching I could find a large facility off the Path, in Harlem, BX,BK or Queens that could at least hold 40 people. Not even including the funds from selling the townhouse to a developer. I really don't see the point in having it there. Someone please enlighten me besides it already being city property. There are a ton of abandoned city facilities in outerboroughs, EG parks dept buildings in LIC.
Some of you guys are so effing negative. It's great news that a new place is getting built for these kids. If you want to get a bigger place somewhere else, write your congressman instead of b*tching about it here.
ReplyDeleteI'm proud to have donated money to Ali Forney in the past and will do so again!
Sorry but there's no reason to force at risk kids into the burroughs. There are kids IN MANHATTAN that need help IN MANHATTAN.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, this is excellent news. Wish them the best of luck.
glad you donated to Al Forney.. good for you , that is your right.
ReplyDeleteand it is others' right to express their opinion here as well.
I agree with the above commenters. The City could serve twice as many kids at half the price in another out of borough location. So, I actually would rather see that, help more of the kids.
Nothing wrong with the City selling this building and putting it back on the tax rolls. that is how things work. But, the politicians and many on the LES continue to demonize landlords, - just look at that article the other day - for improving our area.
OR would you rather it continue to decline and abandonment ? I was here then it was not good.
Yes, let’s send all of such places (LGBT homeless, the Boys Club, The Cabrini Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation etc.) to the borders of the outer boroughs as well as the working/middle class., Manhattan is only for the rich, their spawn and tourists. Welcome aboard “And Then There's Maude”!
ReplyDeleteI will be writing Councilwoman Mendez and the Ali Forney Center. Mendez, Forney and the CSC will get all the credit now for refurbishing a building in the EV for the LGBT community, but taxpayers and overextended foundations are going to pick up the tab when the Center runs out of money and space.
ReplyDeleteI used to work at an LGBT youth organization here in NYC that serves many homeless young people. One of the reasons this location is a good one is that it is neutral territory for many of these youth who often are from the outer boroughs and are not able to live at home due to fear for their safety. Most of the LGBT group homes are in Manhattan for this reason. Yes, it is a small place, but if Ali Forney is invovled it will be safe and these young people will get the support they need to move forward in their lives.
ReplyDeleteI think Travis Bickle gut shot Sport on those steps...
ReplyDeleteThe edge of the outer boroughs? Don't be silly. For the amount of money combined from selling off the townhouse and the money granted for renovations, the facility could be within 15-20 mins of the city.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, there is more than one facility for dealing with the issue of avoiding ones borough and protecting ones safety if that is really a concern. Would being a quick train ride away really be that much different? The craigslist real estate section for NYC seems to paint this as a wasteful action.
The argument about "taxpayer dollars" ...those dollars are how we collectively do anything that is worth doing in this land, that won't derive a quick cash return. I think a housing for homeless kids fits this category fine. Anyone want to disagree?
ReplyDeletehow about homeless kids, period. Why "LGBT". what makes them so much more special than homeless kids in general.
ReplyDeleteThis is fantastic! I am happy for the youth who will be served there and I love that it's named for Bea Arthur.
ReplyDeleteFantastic!
ReplyDeleteChristopher M.
Good news. I work with a number of LGBT kids in care & their future if they leave &/or age out of housing/assistance is very fragile.
ReplyDeleteThis is terrific. Right near the Harvey Milk High School and a neighborhood that has been generally welcoming to LGBT people. Maybe the people who think Queens is a more desirable location would like to move there themselves and leave the neighborhood to those who welcome this new center?
ReplyDeleteI live in 220 E 13th street, literally the next apartment building in the pic on the right side...we've experienced some things that make us think that there really are ghosts in the building next to us!
ReplyDelete