By Daniel Katzive
Thirty-five thousand low-income New Yorkers — seniors — entered a lottery last summer that would yield just 77 winners. But what prizes! Affordable studio apartments with supportive services in an historic hotel in the middle of the Upper West Side.
The odds epitomized the affordable housing crisis in New York City.
Still, on Thursday the mood was celebratory as elected representatives, city officials, nonprofit executives, and one new resident gathered at the Park 79 on West 79th Street between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and photographs.
“We need to do this all over New York City,” said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine. “We need literally hundreds of buildings like this if we’re going to meet the need for affordable housing. Today we get to celebrate at least one.”
It was the official opening, but Park 79 actually began welcoming residents in March and is about 60% full, with the remaining residents identified but still going through the approval process. Thirty-nine of the 77 units are reserved for formerly homeless people. Residents must be seniors earning at or below 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI). Fifty percent of the AMI is equivalent to $49,450 for a family of one in 2023, according to the New York City Department of Housing Preservation & Development (HPD) website.
117 West 79th Street was originally a single-room occupancy (SRO) building that was subsequently converted to an illegal fair-market hotel. Fairstead, a self-described “purpose-driven” real estate firm, purchased it in 2016 and worked through the pandemic to fully renovate it. Dale Brown, a long-time resident of West 79th Street and president of the West 79th Street Block Association, remembers the building’s SRO days as “horrifying,” with police on-site constantly. Brown supports the project and was on hand for the ribbon cutting.
“SROs had their problems,” Levine confirmed. “And this one was very, very poorly maintained. But they provided housing for tens of thousands of New Yorkers who today have no similar places to go. By bringing this one back to life — and replacing what was also very problematic, an illegal hotel — we are pointing the way to something really positive.”
Cynthia Burl, who lives at Park 79, helped cut the ceremonial ribbon. The mother of three daughters and eight grandchildren said “I couldn’t ask for a better place to live,” and called the staff “extraordinary.” State Senator Bradley Hoylman-Sigal said, “We need more New Yorkers like Cynthia in our neighborhood.” Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal called the opening a “wonderful turn of events,” praising the project as “enviornment friendly, resident friendly, and social services friendly.”
The apartments have modern appliances and are completely electric, helping to meet the city’s sustainability goals. In addition, according to Fairstead CEO Jeffrey Goldberg, the company has partnered with ResiBridge to provide free internet access to residents. Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods are expected to provide food donations as well.
The nonprofit Project FIND, which also operates the longstanding Hamilton Older Adult Center on West 73rd Street, will serve as non-profit co-owner of Park 79 with Fairstead. Project FIND will be the facility’s designated social services provider, with Fairstead providing ongoing property management services.
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UPDATE, 7/21, 3:15pm: This article has been updated to clarify the role of Project FIND.
Love to see it! Thanks for reporting this good news WSR
“Affordable housing” in NYC is an Orwellian term. A more proper description should be “subsidized housing”.
The owner of this building, Fairstead, is not providing these below market rate apartments out of altruism. They are receiving massive tax breaks and other subsidies to provide this housing. In addition, the tenants’ rents are covered under Section 8 meaning that while the tenant does not pay a high rent Fairfield will still receive a healthy rent thru government payments.
Essentially, millions of dollars of taxpayer payments and subsidies will go towards 77 “affordable” apartments in one of the most expensive areas of the country. The owners of Fairfield will make a lot of money off this project.
Meanwhile, politicians like Mark Levine and Linda Rosenthal get to show up for a photo op and boast how they created “affordable” housing for seniors.
Homelessness is a very profitable business in NYC and our elected officials get to exploit it for political purposes.
Read the last paragraph, Otis.
Fairfield isn’t receiving any proceeds from rent. The building’s ownership is being transferred to Project FIND, a non-profit that’s been supporting NYC’s senior community since 1969.
This is a good point.
While the place was an illegal hotel, this neighborhood probably has enough demand for more hotel rooms given the prices you can see for the Lucern, Beacon, etc.
A hotel would have generated enough tax revenue to fund much more senior housing in a less expensive place.
But this model of massive subsidies is indeed broken.
I agree. This is not an efficient use of resources. The land on the UWS is much more valuable than elsewhere. Use it efficiently.
And to all of the usual skeptics, this is not a NIMBY response. This is a “use limited resources in the most efficient way possible” response – Economics 101.
Basic economics tells you that you cannot build affordable housing on land that is prohibitively expensive. City “leaders” (and I use that term loosely) have to realize that folks like Cynthia are a vibrant part of the community’s fabric even though they are not wealthy. New York has to be preserved for people like Cynthia as opposed to building more 80 story “pencil” buildings so that foreigners can have a New York address for a few weeks each year. That means tax dollars and incentives have to be directed towards creating such housing.
Give Linda Rosenthal credit for holding the scissors. She is our tireless assembly person working for affordable housing.
Please spare me the anecdote about NY being the most expensive place in the country so we shouldn’t take care of our neighbors. This city wasn’t expensive for many decades until investors and the gilded class decided they didn’t like the suburbs that they fled to in the 60’s anymore. What made New York amazing was how edgy and affordable it was FOR DECADES, don’t act like it was always this gentrified real estate gold mine. Why should poor people suffer just so others can get rich?
Nobody disputes we need to provide housing for all New Yorkers.
But spending tens of millions of dollars to provide 77 “affordable” apartments is not exactly a cost effective way to accomplish this goal.
But there are still nearly 35,000 people (minus 77) still in need of housing. Sigh. Very small progress, glad it is happening, but so inadequate to the demand!
And it’s Fairstead, not Fairfield .
This was sold as 100% for Seniors – anyone, anyone out there remember that?
Now it is going for homeless individuals also – 39/77 is more than 50%.
If you are homeless and get free housing and are under the age of 55 – how about getting a job to help pay for your rent, Con Ed and food that is provided.
Walked by some homeless accommodations on the UWS and spoke to the residents.
They are bored and unhappy with no activities – paraphrasing of course, they were angry that more was not being provided for them and wanted gaming.
I asked if their rent was provided for, their utilities, their clothing and their healthcare.
Yes, I heard.
I asked if they could work – No, most had drug problems and were currently using.
They had to pandhandle to get $ to buy drugs.
WHY OH WHY….. ARE THEY NOT IN A HOSPITAL?
Yes, I recall that as well. Low-income housing for seniors only from the UWS. Now we find out our street is housing the homeless as well.
I passed by this month and overheard one resident rant to another that they should be provided with a kitchen in the basement WITH SOMEONE COOKING MEALS FOR THEM.
These expectations don’t align with what the building / non-profit is providing. Does not bode well.
“This was sold as 100% for Seniors – anyone, anyone out there remember that?
Now it is going for homeless individuals also – 39/77 is more than 50%.”
I understood it to mean the 39 seniors were formerly homeless.
Homeless seniors.
Long time…
I interpreted the 39 as being *both* homeless *and* senior:
Thirty-nine of the 77 units are reserved for formerly homeless people. Residents must be seniors earning at or below 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI).
Perhaps the WSR could clarify?
That’s correct. All 77 units are for seniors, 39 of which are also formerly homeless.
30 units (per the lottery info) have zero rent and many are under $500. Can anyone explain how the $80M loan to finance this is paid back? I have a feeling the developers are not allll that altruistic-I already know the NP isn’t.
PS-where was community involvement? As usual not invited but surely will pay the tab.
In the meantime, there are units held vacant for years – so buildings can be torn down and replaced by luxury development.
So affordable housing is lost – and then there are clamors for more affordable housing.
My understanding is that several buildings on Amsterdam are in this status.
(Crain’s is reporting that the Mermaid Inn building will be demolished)
Permits have been filed for full demolition of 568,570,572 and 574 Amst Ave . 570 former home of Mermaid Inn..