Harlem

Photo courtesy of Baylander Steel Beach New Yorkers have outdoor dining on their minds these days, but a new spot that opened last week is taking the idea to the next level. Just off the West Harlem Piers at 125th Street, the former Baylander IX-514 aircraft carrier has been transformed into a new restaurant and bar called Baylander Steel Beach. First spotted by I Love the Upper West Side, the one-time U.S. Navy ship now has several levels of outdoor seating, as well as a covered section that will be opened once the city allows indoor dining.
Take a tour of Baylander

Food & Dining

Lottery opens for 94 affordable senior apartments in the heart of Harlem

Photo of Victory Plaza courtesy of Camber Property Group

June 29, 2020

Lottery opens for 94 affordable senior apartments in the heart of Harlem

A lottery has opened for 94 affordable units for seniors at a new building in Harlem, with 41 of the units for formerly homeless seniors. Victory Plaza, located at 11 West 118th Street, is a 100 percent affordable building developed jointly by Camber Property Group, the Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement, and New York City. To apply, New Yorkers must have at least one household member who is 62 years of age or older, qualify for Section 8 benefits, and earn $51, 200 or less, annually. Eligible applicants will pay 30 percent of their income for the studio and one-bedroom apartments.
More here

Affordable Housing

43 income-restricted units available at new Harlem high-rise, from $1,208/month

Photo of 56 West 125th Street © CityRealty

June 17, 2020

43 income-restricted units available at new Harlem high-rise, from $1,208/month

Applications are now being accepted for 43 middle-income apartments at a brand new rental in the heart of Harlem. Located at 56 West 125th Street, the 17-story building contains 141 units and more than 8,700 square feet of ground-floor retail. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 80 and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, ranging from $1,208/month studios to $2,710/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

250-name waitlist opens for barely affordable units at East Harlem rental

Photo of 111 East 115th in August 2017, via CityRealty

June 4, 2020

250-name waitlist opens for barely affordable units at East Harlem rental

When we wrote about the initial affordable housing lottery at 111 East 115th back at the beginning of 2018, we questioned how these "affordable" apartments provided any financial relief when they were, in some cases, even more expensive than the market-rate units. The same conundrum holds true now, as the East Harlem rental has just opened up a 250-name waitlist for those earning 130 percent of the area median income. The apartments include $2,253 - $2,675 one-bedrooms and $2,784 - $3,207 two-bedrooms. A recent market-rate one-bedroom rented for $2,575, while a two-bedroom rented for $2,716.
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Affordable Housing

70 mixed-income units available at Bjarke Ingels’s East Harlem rental, from $1,023/month

Construction photo of The Smile, © CityRealty

May 21, 2020

70 mixed-income units available at Bjarke Ingels’s East Harlem rental, from $1,023/month

It's your chance to live in an apartment designed by acclaimed architect Bjarke Ingels. A housing lottery for his project at 146 East 126th Street in East Harlem will launch on Friday for 70 income-restricted apartments. Dubbed "The Smile" for its unique curved configuration, the 11-story rental comes with an impressive amenity package, including a rooftop pool, outdoor movie theater, fitness center, and more. New Yorkers earning 60 percent and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, which range from $1,023/month studios to $2,849/month two-bedrooms.
Do you qualify?

Affordable Housing

Affordable housing lottery opens for 45 units in Central Harlem, from $824

Photo of 125th Street by Blaxtar from Pixabay

May 19, 2020

Affordable housing lottery opens for 45 units in Central Harlem, from $824

New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income are now welcome to apply for 45 affordable units at a new supportive housing building in Central Harlem. Located at 310 West 127th Street, the residence has set aside 60 percent of its units for low-income or formerly homeless households with special needs referred by city agencies, while the remaining 40 percent are available to the public through this lottery. They range from $824/month studios to $1,451/month three-bedrooms.
See the qualifications

Affordable Housing

73 mixed-income apartments up for grabs in prime Central Harlem, from $680/month

Photo of the Robeson © CityRealty

March 25, 2020

73 mixed-income apartments up for grabs in prime Central Harlem, from $680/month

A housing lottery for 73 mixed-income units will launch on Thursday at a building in one of the most bustling sections of Central Harlem. The new 10-story building, called The Robeson, is located at 407 Malcolm X Boulevard between West 130th and 131st Streets. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 50, 100, and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, which range from a $680/month studio to a $3,452/month three-bedroom apartment.
Do you qualify?

Affordable Housing

March 18, 2020

For $12M, combine these two historic Harlem townhouses for the mansion of your dreams

Two neighboring Harlem townhouses have seen a big price drop since hitting the market last year. First listed for a combined $27 million, the historic homes at 32 and 33 Mount Morris Park West are currently listed separately for $7.95 million and $3.95 million, respectively. The 7,000-square-foot, five-bedroom property at 32 Mount Morris Park has been respectfully gut-renovated, while the townhouse next door, which has the same footprint and unique architectural elements, needs restoration work.
See the properties

Distinctive Homes

2,000 spots open on waitlist for middle-income apartments across East Harlem

The building at 1660 Madison is near Central Park’s Conservatory Garden; Photo by Cultivar 413 / Flickr cc

March 12, 2020

2,000 spots open on waitlist for middle-income apartments across East Harlem

A housing lottery is launching to replenish the waitlist for a number of rental buildings in East Harlem. Starting Monday, applications will be accepted for 2,000 spots on a waitlist for buildings at 1890-1990 Lexington Avenue, 1940-1962 First Avenue, 420-455 East 102nd Street, 1295-1309 Fifth Avenue, and 1660 Madison Avenue. New Yorkers earning 150 and 160 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, ranging from $1,667/month studios to $3,714/month four-bedroom apartments. Eligible applicants will be randomly selected and placed on the waitlist for future vacancies.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Common brings modern co-living to historic Strivers’ Row in Harlem, from $1,600/month

Photos by Seth Caplan for Common

February 28, 2020

Common brings modern co-living to historic Strivers’ Row in Harlem, from $1,600/month

Co-living startup Common has opened its third Harlem location in the St. Nicholas Historic District, better known as Strivers’ Row for the long list of African American luminaries who lived along the two-block stretch. Common brings its modern approach to the area, with a handful of private bedrooms now available at 267 West 139th Street from $1,600 to $2,200 a month.
Take a look around

Distinctive Homes

Massive Lenox Terrace redevelopment has been rejected by the City Council Zoning Committee

Rendering credit: Davis Brody Bond

February 27, 2020

Massive Lenox Terrace redevelopment has been rejected by the City Council Zoning Committee

The City Council's Zoning Committee voted unanimously to reject a proposed redevelopment of Harlem's Lenox Terrace housing complex on Wednesday. The site's owner, the Olnick Organization, has been seeking approval for a mixed-use development with five 28-story towers to be constructed at the complex. This week's decision is expected to be a sign of what's to come when the project comes to a vote before the full City Council next month. But Olnick has already signaled that they have a scaled-down backup plan for the site that won't require a rezoning.
More info

Policy

Plan to renovate Central Park North rink and pool opposed by local skaters and swimmers

Rendering courtesy of Susan T. Rodriguez Architecture | Design and the Central Park Conservancy

February 19, 2020

Plan to renovate Central Park North rink and pool opposed by local skaters and swimmers

The $150 million plan to build a new pool and ice rink at the northern end of Central Park is facing backlash from local swimmers and skaters. Last September, the Central Park Conservancy revealed a project to replace the aging Lasker Rink and Pool and create space for year-round recreation. But a group of hockey players and swimmers is asking the conservancy to revise its plan, which they claim would reduce the space they can use, eliminating some of the programs offered.
Details here

Architecture And Design

February 13, 2020

CNN anchor Don Lemon is selling his stylish Harlem condo for $1.75M

CNN journalist Don Lemon has listed his condo in a luxury Harlem apartment building for $1.75 million, according to the New York Post. Located at 2280 Frederick Douglass Boulevard, the tower, known as 2280 FDB, is a few short blocks from Morningside Park and all that Central Harlem has to offer. The TV news anchor first bought the three-bedroom home for $1.48 million in 2013, followed by a neighboring one-bedroom unit for roughly $867,780 the next year. He sold the smaller unit in 2017 for $969,000.
Take the tour

Rendering courtesy of the Olnick Organization

February 12, 2020

Alternative plan for Harlem’s massive Lenox Terrace development gets rid of affordable units

Amidst pushback from locals and activists, the Olnick Organization has released a Plan B proposal for its Lenox Terrace expansion, reports the Post. Last week, the City Planning Commission approved an application from the complex's owner to rezone part of the neighborhood and allow five 28-story towers with a mix of market-rate and affordable units to be built at the site. The alternate plan unveiled on Tuesday presents a scaled-down version that wouldn't require a zoning change but also wouldn't include any of the affordable units or public amenities in the original plan.
Find out more

Policy

Image courtesy of The Corcoran Group.

February 11, 2020

This $1.9M Harlem penthouse comes with a ground-floor studio, a roof terrace, and lofty aspirations

Asking $1.895 million, this two-bedroom Harlem condominium penthouse at the building known as Strivers Lofts at 223 West 135th Street spans 1,700 square feet with the light and views you'd expect from the top floor. A bit more unexpected is the added perk in the form of a separate 200-square-foot home office with a powder room on the building's ground floor. The penthouse has high ceilings, tall windows, and a large planted roof deck in a former light industrial building, which is now home to full-floor lofts.
Lofty aspirations, this way

Distinctive Homes

Lenox Terrace rezoning in Harlem gets green light from City Planning

Photo: Lenox Terrace Aerial; Credit: Davis Brody Bond

February 4, 2020

Lenox Terrace rezoning in Harlem gets green light from City Planning

A plan to bring a mixed-use development with five buildings and 1,600 apartments to Central Harlem got a much-needed approval on Monday. The City Planning Commission voted in favor of an application from the Olnick Organization to rezone part of the neighborhood, clearing the way for five 28-story luxury towers to be constructed at the existing Lenox Terrace complex.
More here

Policy

Borough president rejects plan for five-building luxury development in Harlem

Aerial view of the project; Credit: Davis Brody Bond

December 17, 2019

Borough president rejects plan for five-building luxury development in Harlem

A developer's plan to rezone a neighborhood in Central Harlem to make way for a mixed-use development hit another roadblock this week. Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer on Monday rejected a rezoning application filed by the Olnick Organization to construct five 28-story luxury towers and one mid-rise building located at the existing Lenox Terrace complex. In her recommendation, Brewer said the project lacks the "public and private investments necessary to make it a prudent exercise of planning for future growth."
More here

Policy

December 11, 2019

Residents say Columbia’s plan for 34-story tower breaks promise to redevelop public school

Columbia University this week filed plans to build a 34-story residential building in Harlem, as the school continues its campus expansion into the neighborhood. According to documents filed with the city's Department of Buildings, the project at 600 West 125th Street, formerly home to a McDonald's, would measure just under 400 feet tall and contain 142 apartments. But as Gothamist reported on Wednesday, local residents argue the plan breaks a longstanding promise from the university to redevelop a public school at the site.
More here

Live between Central Park and Morningside Park in Harlem, from $2,357/month

Photo by Allie Smith on Unsplash

November 27, 2019

Live between Central Park and Morningside Park in Harlem, from $2,357/month

Located in between two of Manhattan's best green spaces, Morningside Park and Central Park, a new rental has launched a lottery for 32 middle-income apartments. The 13-story building at 251 West 117th Street in Harlem sits behind the former St. Thomas the Apostle Church, which has been restored and converted into a community and performance space. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, which include $2,357/month studios, $2,526/month one-bedrooms, and $3,044/month two bedrooms.
Do you qualify?

Affordable Housing

November 11, 2019

For $807K, light, pattern, and color wake up this two-bedroom Morningside Heights co-op

Situated within the amenity-filled Morningside Gardens co-operative complex, this two-bedroom home at 70 La Salle Street in Morningside Heights was renovated less than a year ago. The result is a cheerful and chic mix of color, pattern, and well-configured space that's highlighted by an abundance of natural light. With ceilings of over nine feet tall and floor-to-ceiling windows, this corner unit, asking $807,000, maximizes space with plenty of closets in addition to large and livable rooms.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

Manhattan community board says no to Central Harlem developer’s rezoning plan

Aerial view of the developer’s planned updates. Credit: Davis Brody Bond

November 8, 2019

Manhattan community board says no to Central Harlem developer’s rezoning plan

Manhattan Community Board 10 voted Wednesday night against a developer’s plan that would substantially rezone the Lenox Terrace neighborhood in Central Harlem and pave the way for construction of five new 28-story luxury towers and big-box retail stores. The rezoning application, filed by the Olnick Organization, asked the city to rezone Lenox Terrace from its current residential status to the C6-2 designation found in "the central business district and regional commercial centers,” according to the city’s zoning resolution. The community board’s vote sided with the Lenox Terrace Association of Concerned Tenants (LT-ACT), which opposes the rezoning and has demanded the developer withdraw the application.
More on the resolution this way

Policy

First major exhibition to highlight African American culinary history coming to Harlem next year

Exhibition renderings courtesy of the Museum of Food and Drink

November 6, 2019

First major exhibition to highlight African American culinary history coming to Harlem next year

Next February the Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD) will bring together the country’s first exhibition celebrating the countless ways in which African Americans have shaped American cuisine. Curated by Dr. Jessica B. Harris, a leading expert on the foods of the African Diaspora, African/American: Making the Nation’s Table will take place at The Africa Center in Harlem and feature musical selections by Questlove, tastings by Chef Carla Hall, and a restoration of the historic Ebony Magazine Test Kitchen.
More details

Photo credit: Daniel Avila / NYC Parks.

October 31, 2019

Harlem’s historic Mount Morris Fire Watchtower returns to Marcus Garvey Park after a $7.9M restoration

The Harlem Fire Watchtower, also known as the Mount Morris Fire Watchtower, is the last structure of its kind in New York City. The 47-foot-tall tower was erected in 1856, the third of 11 fire towers built in Manhattan. Fire watchtowers were discontinued after 1878, but the bell in its tower continued to ring at 9am and noon for years after. The historic cast-iron tower has been restored and reunited with its original surroundings in Marcus Garvey park after having been in storage since 2015.
Find out more

History

This landmarked English Gothic Harlem church seeks a $6.25M buyer to create its next chapter

Photo credit: Matt Vacca courtesy of Compass.

October 30, 2019

This landmarked English Gothic Harlem church seeks a $6.25M buyer to create its next chapter

New York City's church conversions always draw interest and curiosity; whether they symbolize tranquility–or just offer a unique setting that often includes stained-glass windows with heavenly light and miles-high cathedral ceilings–they transcend the ordinary. This historic, landmarked Harlem church, built in 1897, is now on the market for $6.25 million. Home to the Greater Metropolitan Baptist Church since 1985, the building is zoned residential, so, according to the listing, it can become a single-family home. Built in the English Gothic style and first dedicated as St. Paul’s German Evangelical Lutheran Church, the house of worship is a reflection of the neighborhood's many layers of history. The listing calls on "sophisticated buyers and developers" to seize the chance to be responsible for the next chapter in the life of this neighborhood icon.
From 80-foot spires to a classic church basement

City seeks operator for long-planned memorial and cultural center at Harlem’s African burial ground site

Image of 126 Street Bus Depot courtesy of NYCEDC

October 22, 2019

City seeks operator for long-planned memorial and cultural center at Harlem’s African burial ground site

The city’s Economic Development Corporation (EDC) is now accepting bids for the long-planned redevelopment of the East 126th Street Metropolitan Transportation Authority Bus Depot into a memorial and cultural education center honoring the historic African burial ground found in the early 2000s at the site. In collaboration with the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, the EDC has released a request for expressions of interest looking for a non-profit organization to operate the cultural center and outdoor memorial in Harlem.
More details

Uncategorized

The Arches of Harlem aims to turn the Riverside Drive Viaduct into a public light-art installation

Renderings by Focus Lighting

October 15, 2019

The Arches of Harlem aims to turn the Riverside Drive Viaduct into a public light-art installation