By Gus Saltonstall
A supportive housing building on the Upper West Side just landed more than $20 million from New York State for a full renovation of the property.
The Narragansett at 2508 Broadway, between West 93rd and 94th streets, received $21.6 million as part of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s $25 billion five-year housing plan, according to a press release from New York State Homes and Community Renewal, which is the state’s agency for affordable housing and housing finance.
The funding will go toward rehabilitating the 12-story Upper West Side building that contains 104 affordable apartments, 78 of which provide supportive services for vulnerable New Yorkers. All of the residents are at or below 60 percent of the area-median income.
“The Narragansett provides permanent, supportive housing for New Yorkers on the Upper West Side, and this $21.6 million investment ensures it can continue that mission by rehabilitating homes for the 104 families and individuals who live there,” Assemblymember Micah Lasher said in the press release from the state.
The Narrangansett has provided permanent supportive housing on the Upper West Side block since it opened in 1994. It specifically serves New Yorkers who are medically fragile or have other special needs. The building’s most recent renovation took place in 2012, when it received $7.1 million from New York City’s Housing and Preservation Department.
The address has also been the longtime home to a Subway and Pinkberry on the ground floor.
The state did not provide a timeline for when the renovations to The Narrangansett would begin.
You can find out more about the funding coming to the Upper West Side building — HERE.
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I strongly believe in helping people out. But this does not seem like an efficient use of money. I’m not saying $0 should be spent. But this seems like a lot. And given the state and city’s history on such things, there is good reason for my doubt.
I also wonder why there seems to be a cluster of these types of facilities in this area. Note that I do not live there so I am not being NIMBY. But again, it is a lot.
At roughly $200k per rehabilitated apartment that doesn’t seem crazy expensive
That money would go a lot further in a less desirable area of NYC. Not saying this to be NIMBY (I don’t live near there). Saying it based on basic economics – bring the most good to the most people with the least money. For the cost of fixing up 100 apartments there you can probably fund twice as many elsewhere. All I hear is complaining about housing shortages…
That’s about $207,000 per unit. Are the tenants to received free rent as well, or is it “affordable” housing.? What if any of them need parking?