The former Brandon Residence, a nine-story building at 340 West 85th Street that housed single women for more than 60 years, is expected to be sold and turned into housing for seniors who need social and health services.
We first reported on the potential sale of the Brandon last year. It is one of the more unique properties in the neighborhood: a women-only SRO that offered private rooms with shared baths, along with two meals a day and 24/7 door staff. It’s intriguing in this case that the building will remain an affordable housing residence, rather than become a luxury apartment building like other local buildings run by nonprofits.
Social services agency Volunteers of America, which owns the building, is negotiating with the West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing, which expects to complete the sale next month. Plans were explained at a meeting on Wednesday. WSFSSH plans to move seniors from its Valley Lodge property on 108th Street into the building sometime in the coming months as it prepares to rebuild the 108th site (we’ve detailed that project too). Once the new building is constructed on 108th Street, the Valley Lodge residents will return uptown and the Brandon will be renovated to accommodate new seniors.
One next-door neighbor who attended the meeting told us he’s anxious about the change, claiming that it will essentially be a homeless shelter. “I think it will be disruptive to this small dead end street — 120 homeless people is too much,” said the neighbor. “They’re making it more dangerous.”
But a rep for WSFSSH says the building will not be a shelter — it offers supportive housing with meals, activities and services for seniors. Valley Lodge aims to help formerly homeless seniors transition to permanent housing, according to the Valley Lodge website.
We wrote about the history of the Brandon here.
Great use for this building. Glad the Valley Lodge seniors will have a good place to relocate during their construction project. Well done, VoA and WSFSSH.
What will happen to women that are current residents?
Will they remain in place?
Very exciting news! WSFSSH is a leader in supportive housing. Neighbors should be pleased to have have such a community spirited facility on their block. All best wishes for a great new facility. Love Cathy
Has that neighbor who believes that the former Brandon Center shall be a Shelter for Homeless people : been homeless, been hidden homeless, volunteered at a soup kitchen/food pantry/clothes closet; objected to the closing of Peter’s Place; objected to the possible, past, closings of many Senior Centers; to illegal aliens in U.S.A.; to the Spanish language forced on/in U.S.A.’s mainland; to the 3 credit bureaus in U.S.A.; to the [past ?] freeze of Section 8; to the poverty of many Wimmin Senior Citizens – [inc. via certain rules of S.S.A.]; to part of Pathways to Housing, Inc. no longer in business; to the lack of enough public Toilets in N.Y.C.; to the many minority Slums in N.Y.C. wherein some of social work has placed some Clients; to too much recent refugees & legal immigrants into N.Y.C. after 1958 ; to the, even more, lack of housing stock in N.Y.C., inc. for Senior Citizens; to the furriner construction workers in Central Harlem, N.Y.C.; to the 2 cuts to Food Stamps ? Also, us international children — who deserve our other Country. Protect Planned Parenthood. Protect Israel. Ever visited : Emmaus community; Bruderhof in [Central] Harlem; [Roman ] Catholic Worker; a Mennonite residence; a Friends [Quaker] residence; St. Paul’s House; Times Square Church’s [2 ?] residences ? Ever talked with the guy of : the rent is too damn high, ? P.S . What of Pastors’ manses, & Widows, Divorcees ? Seminaries’ housing ?
Wendy, your comments were interesting to me, but a little confusing. For ex.: “…international children who deserve…” If you stand by your words/emotions, please explain. Thanks. (The latter and some other stuff, too.) it was hard to tell where exactly or with whom your sympathies lie, but if they didn’t fit within the required “intersectionality” points, your non-conformist views are to be celebrated–not least because I agree with any of them, but because you took the trouble to emote. Now, if you would re-write? If not, thanks, anyway! (I expect someone now to tell me I too am too vague–whatev)😿
LOL re the quote about seniors making the neighborhood more dangerous… Yes, for the seniors who move in! I guess some think they’ll never be old or needy. Live fast, die young?
That’s Great! We need MORE resources for the elderly! Thanks for the update! My mom will like hearing that!
In what universe is W. 85th between Riverside and West End a “small dead-end street?” You should be embarrassed, anonymous commenter.
I’m glad this building is at least retaining a community purpose.