'War' is declared as city plans luxury development in the middle of public housing

Here we go.

The Daily News reports today that the cash-strapped New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) is planning on leasing playground and community center space for luxury high-rises

Per the article:

[T]he agency plans to lease out land to private developers who will then build some 3 million square feet of luxury apartments smack in the middle of Manhattan housing projects.

Internal documents obtained by the Daily News show the planned 4,330 apartments in eight developments are all in hot real estate neighborhoods, including the upper East and West Sides, the lower East Side and lower Manhattan.

Of the new units, 20 percent will be set aside as "affordable" — designated for families with net income of $50,000 or less.

But will the richies want to live so close to the poors? Not to worry! Per the article: "The new luxury towers will face away from the old, deteroriating affordable housing."

As the Daily News put it: "The housing authority is planning its very own Tale of Two Cities."

On the Lower East Side, a parking lot at the Baruch Houses will be redeveloped into luxury towers. There are also plans to lease a parking garage at Campos Plaza on Avenue C.

Meanwhile, residents are mobilizing against the plan. The Lo-Down has details from last night's CB3 Land Use Committee meeting, where Smith Houses Tenant President Aixa Torres warned: "This is a travesty," she said. "We are not going to take this… When no one wanted to live here, we stayed… if you want a war, you got a war."

The upside for the NYCHA: They expect to generate $31 million to $46 million in annual lease payments, "all of which will go toward fixing up deteriorating buildings. The agency currently has a backlog of 420,000 repair orders and faces a $60 million budget gap annually," the Daily News reported.

Speaking of pharmacies....

A pharmacy is reportedly moving into the long-dormant space here on Third Street and Avenue A...




Patrick Hedlund at DNAinfo attended a CB3 Economic Development Committee meeting last Tuesday where representatives of the landlord of this rather empty stretch — the New York City Housing Authority — noted this pharmacy news...

Said Rob Stevenson, a broker for the Real Estate Group New York who’s lived in the neighborhood for the past 17 years: "[Average retailers] can't pay 6, $7,000 a month. That tells you what's going on down here."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Of the 147 storefronts on Avenue A, 70 of them are bars, restaurants or vacant

Whatever happened to the Two Boots Restaurant? Plus: NYCHA puts up two prime storefronts on Avenue A for rent

Sons & Daughters closing on Avenue A; new tenant for A and Third Street?

Sons & Daughters closing on Avenue A; new tenant for A and Third Street?

High-end kid's shop Sons & Daughters at 35 Avenue A is going out of business. Its last day is Aug. 23.




I'm wondering what will become of the mechanical dolphin out front?



This is starting to be a lonely stretch of Avenue A between Third Street and Second Street. The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) is the landlord along here. There are already two other prime storefronts available.

Check that! According to the NYCHA Web site, there's an application in process for the long-empty coffee shop at Third Street and Avenue A.

Whatever happened to the Two Boots Restaurant? Plus: NYCHA puts up two prime storefronts on Avenue A for rent

BoweryBoogie had an update on Two Boots LES (still closed!) yesterday. Meanwhile, I never did get my arms everything that had happened with the former Two Boots Restaurant that became ReBoot at 37 Avenue A near Third Street. It had been open since 1987. There were some family issues, and I had heard that owner Doris Kornish was having problems with the landlord, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA). According to the ReBoot Web site:

2008 -- Lease ended in May and was not renewed by NYCHA. No negotiation or explanation was offered by NYCHA. In legal proceedings from May to September, up to four offers were made by ReBoot to renew the lease. NYCHA refused, even after instruction from a New York district judge to move forward with the lease renewal. New York City statutes state that a judge cannot force the renewal, but can strongly advise. Considerable amounts of money and time were squandered by NYCHA, although they constantly complain about being broke. With no willing communication from NYCHA, the restaurant is currently closed with all its equipment inside.

Meanwhile, there are "for rent" signs up...



I'm curious what will happen to the illustrations...I always rather liked them...



Meanwhile, the long-shuttered coffee shop at 41 Avenue A on the corner is also up for grabs. Last summer, Jeremiah reported the good news that the Essex Card Shop would be expanding into that space. Unfortunately, that deal with the NYCHA must have fallen through...there's a "for rent" sign at the old coffee spot now...the Essex Card shop is still in business (thank God).



Thinking about renting the spaces? Here are the details from the NYCHA Web site. Rent at 37 Avenue A is $57.50 per square foot;$86,250 per year -- $7,187.50 per month. And 41 Avenue A: $65.00 per square foot;$101,075 per year -- $8,422.92 per month.