A tipster shares the news that the city issued a vacate order on the long-empty P.S. 64 at 605 E. Ninth St. between Avenue B and Avenue C.
The vacate order is dated Feb. 13. According to the DOB (in their ALL-CAP STYLE):
AT VARIOUS EXPOSURES OF EDUCATIONAL FACILITY, ORNAMENTAL FACADE ELEMENTS ARE IN A STATE OF DISREPAIR WITH VISIBLE CRACKS, GAPS, AND DETERIORATION. THESE ORNAMENTAL ELEMENTS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO FALL INTO THE STREET AND YARD. IN ADDITION, INTERIOR FIRE PROOFING ARE MISSING THEREBY EXPOSING STRUCTURAL STEEL MEMBERS. THESE CONDITIONS HAVE MADE THE ENTIRE BUILDING AND YARDS UNSAFE TO OCCUPY.
Developer Gregg Singer bought the property — the former P.S 64 and CHARAS/El Bohio community center — from the city during an auction in 1998. The building has been empty for years. However, as Allegra Hobbs wrote in an article for the Times last June, Singer has an office on the premises.
Mr. Singer visits P.S. 64 about once a week. The only part of the building not falling apart, abandoned, graffitied or coated with pigeon droppings seems to be his modest office on the first floor, decorated with pristine renderings of “University Square” — a “new college living experience,” as the brochures claim, where students would enjoy a theater, a game room, yoga studios and other amenities.
Presumably the vacate order prevents Singer from entering.
The vacate order also came one week after emergency crews examined a large crack in the building's east-facing wall on 10th Street.
City inspectors eventually determined that the building was safe, but did issue a violation to Singer for failure to maintain the exterior facade for cracks observed on the corner of the building at the third floor, as Curbed reported.
Singer later told Curbed: "It’s all political. This is part of a concerted effort to put pressure on us. I was just at the building. There's definitely cracks — that we were already aware of — that will be pointed and repaired, but there’s no immediate danger."
Singer has wanted to turn the landmarked property into a dorm called University Square, which continues in a holding pattern while the DOB maintains a Stop Work Order — dating to August 2015 — on the building.
On Feb. 7, local elected officials gathered outside the building and urged the city to reclaim the property for community use.
Crumble, Bumble
ReplyDeleteTumble and Fall
Who’s the worst developer
Of them all?
NYC should take over, make all repairs necessary, and either charge Singer for every penny OR (preferably) NYC should take ownership of the building again, since it appears to be effectively abandoned by Singer.
ReplyDeleteEmperor Bill has squander so much money since he ascended the throne of New York that next year he's asked all city departments for cuts to their budgets. If anyone thinks the city will buy/ redevelop PS 64 for the community is nuts. MOVE ON...
ReplyDeleteAgree with cmarrtyy. For Amazon, the city offered to use eminent domain. But buying P.S. 64 is all red ink so it will not happen.
ReplyDelete