Friday, December 16, 2022

Holiday wishes for the former Charas/El Bohio Community Center

Two community events are taking place this weekend at the former P.S. 64 at 605 E. Ninth St. between Avenue B and Avenue C. (The above photo was taken from the 10th Street side a few weeks ago.)

Tomorrow (Saturday) at noon, local elected officials, residents and supporters are coming together for a rally to commemorate the 21st anniversary of the eviction of the Charas/El Bohio Community & Cultural Center here. 

The assembled speakers will be asking "the mayor to make our holiday wish come true and return our community center."
This evening starting at 5:30, the activist group Loisaida Guardians is hosting a holiday dinner on the Ninth Street side of the property "to share gifts and food in the spirit of the holidays and work together to reopen Charas for the community of the people of New York City." 

We're told that Two Boots will be providing some pizzas. Find more details on the Facebook event page.

The long-vacant building, owned by Gregg Singer since 1998, fell into foreclosure earlier this year and is reportedly in the hands of lender Madison Realty Capital. 

The five-floor building is being offered for use as medical space or educational-related purposes. Meanwhile, some residents want to see the space used as a community center, as it was during its time as Charas/El Bohio Community Center. Singer evicted the group on Dec. 27, 2001. 

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

We rather see it used for medical space or educational-related purposes, makes much more sense.
What happened 21 years ago is irrelevant nowadays, move on.

Anonymous said...

The spirit of this community is alive. The dismantling of Charas/El Bohio after then mayor Guiliani auctioned off the building was a huge blow and deprived us over a generation from a crucial space. The cultural memory is relevant. It nourishes the fight to get Charas/El Bohio back. This community does not give up. Giuliani, Singer, and consorts tried to smother the community spirit, but it will live on.

John Penley said...

Personally , I would really like for Charles King of Housing Works to buy the building ASAP. King has a longtime track record of helping people. He could use air rights for housing for low income , disabled , immigrants and people with HIV. The ground floors could have a medical clinic and community center. In the back with a separate entrance he could open a Cannabis dispensary because he has been awarded one of the first permits to do it legally. This store would help fund the whole project and provide jobs for residents of Housing Works buildings.

Anonymous said...

We must take back CHARAS!

DuchessofNYC said...

My latest on this long-running battle here:

https://www.villagevoice.com/2022/12/16/somewhere-over-the-rainbow-can-activists-reclaim-a-dilapidated-east-village-landmark-from-ruin-or-from-its-creditors/?fbclid=IwAR3WiMdRqatImxZZXvdVlqd7vmRRNdteh2zjPbycGq1pDAq_ZiSSneKYLEY

Thanks to EV Grieve for reporting the fire last December, which I link to

John Penley said...

I hear that the Charas / El Bohio dinner yesterday went well and I feel really happy that I was able to feed the activists some fantastic Two Boots pizza. I miss that pizza and I used to live down the street from the Ave. A store and their office was in the basement of my building. If you run into Phil Hartman thank him for me. Also, thanks to Chris and Amy for arranging it for me.

Joanie Fritz Zosike said...

VIVA CHARAS!
Charas needs to be reclaimed by the community and fulfill its purpose, started by brave pioneers in the 70s. It's lain fallow too long, and it has a big smile on its face knowing that activists are still rallying for its resurrection.
VIVA CHARAS!

Anonymous said...

We serviced the community there by teaching martial arts/ self defense & fitness classes. Then unfortunately like everyone else, we had to leave.