Thursday, August 31, 2017
Inwood Library’s redevelopment into affordable housing moves forward
The city has released an RFP, but local residents seem skeptical
Plans to redevelop Inwood’s library into affordable housing is moving forward. Last week, the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development, in partnership with the New York Public Library, released a request for proposals to redevelop the site at 4790 Broadway.
The city is looking for the new development to be 100 percent affordable, and come with a new library, and a universal pre-K facility (UPK).
The plan to transform the existing library was first announced in January this year, and in the intervening months, city officials say they have spent time interviewing local residents at community engagement sessions to get their feedback on the development.
“Listening to voices in the neighborhood is a crucial part of our planning process, and this feedback is reflected throughout the Inwood RFP,” Maria Torres-Springer, the Commissioner of HPD, said in a statement. “Through this project, we will be able to renew the Inwood public library, provide a brand new Universal Pre-Kindergarten facility, and create 100 percent affordable housing for New Yorkers.”
In June this year, DNAinfo reported that a group of local residents were concerned that the city would release an RFP for the project without presenting local residents with the final results from the community engagement sessions first.
“It would make clear that they don’t care about the community of Inwood, they just want to force their proposal on our community,” Karla Fisk, a member of Save Inwood Library, told DNAinfo at the time. It’s not yet clear if locals were presented with the final plan before the release of the RFP, but Curbed has reached out to both the city and the Save Inwood Library group for clarification.
From the guidelines the city has provided so far, they’re looking for a new library with designated spaces for youth and adult education; additional space for computers; and a community room. This new library, which will be the same size as the current facility, is being made possible through capital contributions by the HPD, and a $5 million contribution by the Robin Hood Foundation.
As for the UPK facility, it will span 4,000 square feet, and have enough space for three classrooms, and serve 50 children. In addition, the developer will also be required to build a 1,350-square-foot outdoor recreational area for the kids.
As for the affordable housing, at least 10 percent will be set aside for formerly homeless people, and local residents gave a preference to create extremely low-income housing, and housing for seniors. Interested developers will have until November 20 this year to apply.
- City Is Mum on Final Inwood Library Plan as Deadline to Tell Public Passes [DNAinfo]
- City officials push affordable housing redevelopment for Inwood library [Curbed]
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City bid to buy Prospect Park’s endangered horse stables falls apart
The stables owners are entertaining other offers for the site
It looks like the city won’t be purchasing Brooklyn’s last operating horse stables after all. DNAinfo has learned that the city’s bid to purchase Kensington Stables from its longtime operators, the Blankenship family, has fallen apart.
“Parks is disappointed in the outcome of this deal, given that we had a clear understanding with the owner to bring the Stables under City ownership,” Parks Department rep Maeri Ferguson told DNAinfo. “We want the stables to remain a useful public amenity and will continue to work toward that goal.”
The Blankenships, who are selling the stables to satisfy an outstanding debt, are now entertaining a different offer. Whether the offer is from the same unnamed group that was in talks with the Blankenships in the spring is unclear. The former prospective buyer had expressed an interest in developing the site in a model similar to Manhattan’s Mercedes House, where rentals top the NYPD’s Mounted Unit.
Councilman Brad Lander, whose district includes Kensingston Stables, said he’d refuse to support a rezoning of the property should its new owner not commit to preserving it as horse stables.
The city says its offer for the property is still on the table, should the Blankenships change their mind.
The property at 55 Caton Place at East 8th Street has been home to Kensginton Stables since 1930. The stables provide community access to guided horse rides along Prospect Park’s 3.5-mile bridle path.
- Sale of Kensington Stables to City Falls Through, Parks Department Says [DNAinfo]
- Prospect Park’s endangered horse stables will likely be purchased by the city [Curbed]
- Prospect Park’s for-sale horse stables may get a boost from the city [Curbed]
- Locals want to save Prospect Park’s endangered horse stables [Curbed]
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Rents Start at $865 for Morrisania Housing Lottery in the Bronx
A new building at 3365 Third Ave. in the Morrisania section of the Bronx is offering 22 affordable rental units via the New York City housing lottery. Studio apartments start at $865; 1-bedrooms start at $929. Interested renters are encouraged to apply through NYC Housing Connect and will be selected based on income qualifications. The deadline to apply is Oct. 31, […]
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St. Vincent’s ‘New York’ video is full of cheeky NYC references
Including a butt hanging out of the Astor Place Cube
The number of musicians who’ve used New York as their inspiration is too great to count, and has led to some utterly gorgeous pieces of art—“Rhapsody in Blue,” anyone?—along with, well, some real stinkers. (The less said about “Welcome to New York,” the better.)
Happily, St. Vincent’s “New York” falls into the former category. The song itself, an elegy to a lost love, references all sorts of NYC spots, including First Avenue, Eighth Avenue, and Astor Place—the latter surely inspired the visual above, which we’re willing to bet has happened at the Cube at least once. Its video is a vibrant, quirky counterpart to the song’s mournfulness; it’s also chock-full of New York references, from the Cube to a bodega to the “Gateway to Soho” public art on the corner of Broadway and Houston Street.
Director Alex Da Corte said in a statement (h/t Pitchfork) that “Annie’s New York is the New York of my dreams—one that is blurry and fractured, dreamy and flat. It is the Toontown to my Hollywood. It is beautiful but slightly out of reach.”
Check out the full video below:
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Wednesday, August 30, 2017
How to make cohabitation work in a New York apartment
Moving in with a partner? These tips will help you maintain your sanity
The first time I moved in with a partner, I was 18 years old. We’d only been dating for four months, but my youthful naivete and enthusiasm, combined with a desire to move off Columbia’s campus and get myself a grown-up apartment, convinced me that signing a lease so early into a relationship was an excellent idea.
It ended very badly. By the end of our three-year relationship, we hated each other so much we were willing to break a recently renewed lease just to get away from one another. Battered from the experience, I spent my 20s convinced cohabitation wasn’t for me.
And then, at 30, I started dating someone I really, really liked; someone I felt connected to enough to reconsider my stance on shacking up. A year into our relationship—and just under a decade after my last cohabitation situation had imploded—we moved in together on the Lower East Side. Three and a half years later, we’re still doing well: No one’s threatened to dump the other over the garbage not getting taken out, I haven’t had to drain my bank account in order to break a lease, and the only one breaking dishes is our adorable, if badly behaved, cat.
What was the difference between my first stab at cohabitation and my current living situation? There’s certainly the fact that my taste in partners dramatically improved between the ages of 18 and 30, and the gains I made in emotional maturity in that intervening decade certainly didn’t hurt either.
But mostly, it was that I’d developed the ability to differentiate between sexual attraction and domestic compatibility—and figured out some important conflict-resolution strategies to smooth over areas where my partner and I aren’t 100 percent compatible. All of which I’m all too happy to share with you.
Really think about what moving in together means. A years-old op-ed from the New York Times examines the claim that couples who cohabitate before marriage are more likely to divorce; according to therapist Meg Jay, it’s not the cohabitation that’s the issue, but the way many couples thoughtlessly enter into a shared domestic environment. If you’re spending all your time together anyway, moving in together can seem like a logical next step. But moving into a shared living environment is a lot easier than moving out of one, and if you sign a lease at the height of infatuation, you may find yourself locked into a living situation with someone you don’t like once the passion in your relationship starts to cool.
If I hadn’t cohabitated with my ex, there’s a good chance we would have broken up way sooner than we actually did. It was a pretty unhealthy relationship from the start, but our domestic situation gave me added incentive to overlook shitty behavior—especially since I really loved our apartment and didn’t want to leave (a refrain I’ve heard from other regretful cohabitators as well). Had I taken the time to truly think through what a serious commitment moving in with my partner was—and whether I really wanted to make that commitment to someone I’d only just met—I might have avoided years of heartache and hurt.
True, I wouldn’t have been able to afford to live in an elevator building across from the Strand all by myself, but the sweet apartment, and financial savings, weren’t worth the happiness I sacrificed by staying in a toxic relationship.
Plan an exit strategy before you move in together. It’s not romantic to talk about breaking up right when you’re about to embark on a serious commitment with someone, but it is essential. The more logistics you work out in advance, the easier a potential breakup will be—which you’ll be grateful for if you end up having to scour Craigslist and hire movers while still reeling from heartbreak.
The second time I moved in with a partner, it was more for love than it was for financial savings (something I recognize puts me in a pretty privileged position). We opted to get a two-bedroom for a number of reasons (more on that in a sec), but for me, one of the side benefits was knowing that, should it all end badly, there’d be no need to break a lease: I’d be able to hold on to the apartment and get a roommate to split the rent.
Your situation may be different, but it’s worth having a conversation about how things might go down if you decide to call it quits. Can one of you afford to pay the full rent all by yourself if the other moves out? Do you have a friend who can take over your lease? Worst-case scenario, I strongly advise setting up an emergency fund just in case you have to cover the cost of breaking a lease—an experience that can be especially difficult (and traumatizing!) in New York.
Make sure you each have your own space. Assuming those first two tips didn’t put you off cohabitation completely, here’s one that’ll actually make living together easier: Figure out a way for each of you to have alone time within the apartment. This may seem like an impossible task if you’ve crammed two people into one tiny space (if you don’t even have a coat closet, how are you going to have space of your own?), but there are some aspects of New York living that make it easier than it might be in a smaller, more affordable city.
In my case, the second bedroom/home office offers a way for my partner and I to get away from each other even when we’re in the same space; if you’re sharing a smaller apartment, blocking out regular time for each of you to have the place to yourselves (while the other one hits up a coffee shop, bar, or takes advantage of the many cultural opportunities afforded by this great city) can be a great way to maintain your sanity. Even if you’re convinced you love your partner enough to want to be around them 24/7, absence always makes the heart grow fonder (and we all deserve some time to partake in some of our secret gross alone time habits).
Divide domestic duties with an eye towards minimizing fights. One great tip I got before moving in with my current partner came from my best friend. A long time cohabitator herself, she advised against sharing chores or doing a chore wheel; instead, she said, the safest bet was for each partner to claim a couple of chores as their own and take full responsibility for them. In my home, I do the cooking while my partner does the laundry. I handle dishes, my partner takes out the trash. If something hasn’t been done, we know whose job it is to do it—and we avoid petty fights about who did what chore most recently, and whose turn it is to do it now.
That exact system might not quite fit your needs, but the more friction you can remove from those daily domesticities, the more fights you’ll be able to avoid. (Also, if it’s in your budget, I strongly endorse occasionally bringing in a housecleaner.)
Openly, and honestly, talk about your problems. The best cohabitation advice I have is also my best relationship advice: If something’s bugging you, figure out a way to bring it up and hash it out with your partner in a respectful, honest way. Moving in with someone can be a rewarding, fulfilling experience, but it also amps up all your problems—especially when you’re crammed together in a 400-square-foot space. The longer you suppress something that’s bugging you, the worse the ultimate fight will be. The faster you’re able to address it, the easier it’ll be to resolve—and the sooner you’ll be able to go from uncomfortable conflict resolution to hot and heavy breakup sex.
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A roommate and tenant guide to NYC
Everything you need to know about apartment living, from decorating your space to finding a roommate
You’ve found your dream apartment; you’ve signed the lease; now what? Here, find everything you need to know about apartment living in New York, whether you’re looking for tips on decorating small spaces, advice for finding (and dealing with) roommates, and what to do if you’ve got landlord issues.
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How to find apartments for rent in NYC
From the best websites for apartment-hunting to resources for affordable housing
Finding an apartment for rent in New York City can be overwhelming, discouraging, and an all-around terrible experience—and that’s even before you have to hand over several months’ salary to secure a place. But we’re here to take some of the frustration out of apartment hunting; here, find guides to the best websites to search for an apartment, tips on dealing with brokers and landlords, and resources for finding ever-elusive affordable housing in NYC.
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Everything you need to know about renting in NYC
Your New York City apartment hunt isn’t over once you’ve found a place you think you love—before you sign on the dotted line, there are steps you should take to ensure that you’re moving into a place you’ll love forever (or at least until the rent goes up again). This guide has tips on negotiating with your potential (or current) landlord, researching a building before you move in, and the different types of rent you can expect in NYC.
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Sunset Park church will be razed for nine-story apartment building
The building will bring 73 new apartments to the neighborhood
Joining a long list of religious institutions being converted into residential buildings citywide, is a single-story church in Sunset Park. The Real Deal has learned that the church building at 6307 Fourth Avenue will be demolished to make way for a nine-story residential building with 73 apartments.
Plans filed with the the city’s Department of Buildings list Magnusson Architecture as the applicant of record. That’s the same architecture firm that’s also working on the redevelopment of the Sunset Park library into an affordable housing project.
At the church site, the 73 apartments will take up just under 50,000 square feet of space, so on average an apartment here will measure nearly 684 square feet. Aside from the residences, plans also call for a 7,600 square foot community facility, which will probably be located at the base of the building.
In many of the instances where churches are being converted into residential developments, smaller versions of them are planned to be included in the new structure, so it’s possible the same might happen here.
The trend of replacing religious buildings with residential developments has been going steady for several years now, but this year alone, plans were filed to replace three different churches in Harlem with residential projects. This Sunset Park development is now the latest to jump on that bandwagon.
- Sunset Park church to become 73-unit mixed-use building [TRD]
- 16 Religious Buildings Converted Into Co-ops and Condos [Curbed]
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What are landlords required to provide in New York apartments?
Know your rights
Living in New York City is full of situations where you’re forced to do more with less, whether that means living a studio apartment that could better be described as a generously-sized walk-in closet, or having a “kitchen” that’s really just a mini-fridge and a tiny oven that’s barely functional.
But there are many basic necessities—things like heat, hot water, safety measures, and more—that your landlord is required to provide in a rental unit, no matter how small or quirky your apartment may be.
To get some insight on what you can reasonably expect a landlord to provide in your NYC rental, we turned to Geoffrey Wertime, a Skadden Fellow at Housing Works, Inc. Client Legal Services. (And the usual caveat applies: While we consulted a lawyer, this shouldn’t be taken as legal advice—if you need to find an actual tenants’ rights lawyer because of an issue with your landlord, we’ve got tips to help you do just that.)
Heat
“Landlords are required to provide heat for their tenants from October 1 through May 31,” says Wertime. The standard rule is that if the temperature outside is below 55 degrees, it must be at least 68 degrees in your apartment. If your landlord won’t turn on the heat, Wertime recommends this precaution: “Get a thermometer and mark down the temperature each day, along with the date, to prepare for any future actions.”
Water
Landlords who operate multiple-dwelling units are required to provide running water at all times—no exceptions. (But it also shouldn’t be boiling water.) “For smaller buildings, landlords must provide hot water from 6 a.m. to midnight each day,” Wertime says.
Fire and carbon monoxide detectors
The rules for these important tools can vary by type of housing (multiple-dwelling vs. two-family, etc.) but basically: Landlords must provide tenants both carbon monoxide and smoke detectors that are approved and functional, and must also replace them if necessary. There are exceptions, though—tenants also have a responsibility with smoke and CO detectors, which HPD outlines in full.
Harassment
“Landlords may never harass their tenants,” Wertime says. “[And] tenants have a right to organize to protect their rights.” HPD has examples of what harassment may entail—things like illegal lockouts or doing construction work when it’s not permitted—along with tips on how to fight back if necessary.
Locks
If you want to install a lock on your apartment door in addition to what’s already there, you’re allowed to do so—and according to Wertime, landlords cannot charge an additional fee for it. And one thing to note: “A landlord may never change the locks to a tenant’s apartment without going through the proper eviction process,” Wertime says. If that happens, be prepared to go to Housing Court to fight it.
Paint/wallpaper
“Landlords must generally keep interior surfaces covered and sanitary, even if that requires repainting or new wallpaper,” says Wertime. Apartments in multiple-dwelling buildings must must be repainted every three years.
Lead paint
“Landlords face a host of obligations regarding lead paint abatement,” notes Wertime, and the HPD runs down what that entails. If you suspect that your apartment has lead paint, lodge a complaint with the city via 311 or this website.
Pests
If you’ve got roaches or mice—eek!—here’s some good news: your landlord is responsible for getting rid of ‘em. “Landlords must promptly respond to tenant complaints of pests, and must take appropriate measures to exterminate bedbugs, rodents, and other pests,” explains Wertime. (And yes, that means paying to exterminate.)
Landlords are also required to tell potential tenants if their building has had bedbugs within the past year under the NYC Bedbug Disclosure Act.
Security
“Landlords must provide basic security,” Wertime notes. That means locks on doors, working intercoms, and—in some cases—in-person security. “Older multiple dwellings must also have automatic self-locking doors, but only need intercoms if a majority of tenants request one, in which case the landlord can pass the cost onto the tenants,” says Wertime. Fascinating!
Waste
“Landlords must collect and remove waste from designated areas and provide janitorial services,” says Wertime. Your building should have a distinct area for trash and recycling, and if common areas are a mess, you can lodge a complaint with 311.
Window guards
You’ve seen this notice when renting an apartment—if a child under the age of 11 lives in an apartment, a landlord must install window guards. (Other tenants can request them, too.)
Methods of payment
Under the NYC Human Rights law, landlords are required to accept all legal sources of income from their tenants. That includes Section 8 vouchers, and LINC or HASA subsidies (among others). “A stunning number of landlords continue to exclude public assistance recipients, which is a clear violation of the law and is called source of income discrimination,” says Wertime. “Anyone who encounters this kind of discrimination should contact an attorney or go to the New York City Commission on Human Rights to report it.”
What about taking action?
“Tenants should complain about any problems in writing, and keep a written record of when they complained, who they spoke to, and what was said,” Wertime explains. “If a landlord refuses to fix a problem, tenants can call 311 or go to the 311 website to make a complaint, or they can contact an attorney or even go to Housing Court on their own.” And it goes without saying—getting your own lawyer who specializes in tenants’ rights is also a smart move.
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163 New Affordable Apartments in Mott Haven: Rents Start at $788
In the last couple of years, Mott Haven has seen a ton of construction of new residential buildings. Located at 828 E. 149th St. at the corner of Union Avenue, Crossroads I Plaza is a part of the new construction wave and will bring 163 affordable new units to the neighborhood, with rents starting as low as […]
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