Latest news with #One45
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
NYC council pushes One45 for Harlem developer to boost affordability
The developer behind the controversial One45 for Harlem project, which could bring nearly 1,000 new apartments to Upper Manhattan, was grilled on affordability and other issues by members of the City Council at a hearing Tuesday ahead of an all-important final vote. Members of the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises questioned developer Bruce Teitelbaum about the long-stalled concept, which proposes building a pair of 34-story towers with 968 apartments and commercial space at the intersection of 145th St. and Lenox Ave — a massive infusion amid the city's ongoing housing crisis. Councilmember Yusef Salaam, who represents the area and exerts tremendous influence over whether or not One45 will pass in the Council, expressed myriad concerns about the project. But he but also expressed an openness that could bode well for the its chances. 'This proposal comes to us at a very pivotal moment. It provides an opportunity to uplift the community by creating quality housing options, local retail and a much needed community space and more,' Salaam said. 'The question is, for whom.' Approximately 291 of the units would be designated 'affordable,' a figure Salaam described as 'definitely too low.' That number could more than double as part of an alternate plan Teiteilbaum has floated in tandem with Borough President Mark Levine, first reported by the Daily News, that would see a nonprofit develop one of the towers as 100% affordable in coordination with the city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development. But that version would hinge on 'significant' government subsidies and is far from a done deal. 'A deal's timeline is set by project readiness, developer capacity, and financing availability,' HPD spokesperson Matt Rauschenbach said in a statement. 'In this case, HPD continues to be actively engaged with the One45 project owner, and we look forward to continuing those conversations.' Salaam and committee Chair Kevin Riley repeated longstanding concerns around affordability levels, gentrification, building heights and the potential environmental impact. They also called for more family-sized units, as almost half of the planned units are one-bedroom apartments. Teitelbaum in turn touted his years of community engagement efforts, commitment to fix up the beleaguered block and the project's green energy credentials. The development would also include a tech center, a banquet hall and retail space. 'One45 is not just another housing development, it is a significant and a serious community investment,' he told the committee. 'We have listened, we have improved and we have responded … and now we respectfully ask the City Council to support this project.' Tuesday's hearing was one of the last steps in the city's monthslong land use review process, which One45 needs to pass before the project can be built. The first rezoning attempt famously fell apart in 2022 after pushback from the local councilmember at the time, Kristin Richardson Jordan, who wanted the project to be 100% affordable. Teitelbaum subsequently withdrew the proposal and turned the lot into a truck depot, angering the community; Jordan dropped her reelection bid amid the fallout. Teitelbaum apologized Tuesday for the truck depot, saying 'In retrospect it was a mistake.' The political atmosphere is far more pro-development than it was the last time Teitelbaum tried to pass One45, and he struck a cautiously optimistic note on Tuesday. 'I'm very hopeful, I think there's a real light at the end of the tunnel,' he told the News following the hearing. 'I feel confident but we're not there yet, there's still work to do.' The Council's deciding vote will take place in the coming weeks.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Borough president backs disputed One45 Harlem project, with option to double affordable units
The controversial One45 for Harlem project, which could bring two towers with nearly 1,000 new apartments to East Harlem, secured the backing of Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine on Tuesday — a symbolic but significant endorsement that bodes well for its success down the line. Levine and the developer, Bruce Teitelbaum, have struck a tentative deal as part of the rezoning process that could help the project get over the finish line nearly three years after an initial attempt to secure approval spectacularly imploded, causing a political firestorm. The fact that local Councilmember Yusef Salaam, whose support will essentially make or break the project, has been involved in the negotiations also suggests One45 could be closer to winning favor in the all-important final City Council vote. The proposed One45 for Harlem development would include a pair of 34-story towers at 145th St. and Lenox Ave. with 968 apartments, including 291 designated affordable, plus a commercial building. The borough president is recommending the project move ahead but with a number of conditions attached, including increasing the size of a planned community space and requiring the use of union construction workers. But the most significant stipulation is the unusual inclusion of a memorandum of understanding. Signed by both Levine and Teitelbaum, the MOU includes the possibility of an alternative plan that would involve Teitelbaum building the first tower but selling a parcel of the land to a nonprofit affordable housing developer that would construct the second tower as 100% affordable in coordination with the city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development. HPD spokesperson Fernando Aquino confirmed the agency was been 'in active conversations' with the prospective developer 'We would welcome the opportunity to invest in more affordable housing in the community and are working to define the tools/resources we have available to make it happen,' Aquino said. The so-called 'Enhanced Affordability Plan Development' could boost the total number of new 'affordable' units up to 591 — but it's far from a done deal. 'Nothing is guaranteed until a sale occurs, but there's active negotiations underway' to sell the parcel, Levine said, adding that they're making 'good progress.' The project itself still needs to successfully pass the city's land use review process. The next step is review by the City Planning Commission. Levine, who is running for city comptroller, voted against the original One45 project three years ago, citing concerns around affordability and describing that version as 'unacceptable' at the time. 'There was just no constituency for this project three years ago, and now there really is,' he told The News. 'Adding hundreds of affordable units is just an incredibly valuable addition to the housing landscape, that's what we need. We need to both fight to help longtime residents stay in their homes, and we have a parallel fight to create new affordable homes for people who don't have them. And I'm all in on both fights, and leaving this site as a truck depot doesn't help anybody.' Levine's endorsement comes as little surprise given his vocal pro-development stance amid the ongoing housing crisis. While the beep's backing is symbolic, not binding, it's a positive sign for the development team that comes just two weeks after the local community board rejected the proposal in a 19-10 advisory vote with 5 abstentions. 'This is not an affordable housing plan, it's a gentrification plan,' said Delsenia Glover, second vice chairperson of the board, who voted against it. She echoed longstanding criticisms from Harlemites who have expressed concern about the project's size, affordability levels and potential to displace locals. The borough president's support is also One45's first formal vote of confidence since a previous iteration of the plan infamously fell apart in 2022. The local councilmember at the time, Kristin Richardson Jordan, pushed for One45 to be fully affordable, leading Teitelbaum to withdraw the proposal and turn the lot into a truck depot in a move widely viewed as spiteful. Richardson Jordan dropped her reelection bid in the fallout, opening the path for Salaam to take her place. He has expressed more openness to Teitelbaum's plans and worked 'shoulder to shoulder' with Levine in securing the memorandum of understanding, according to the beep. Salaam's office did not respond to a request for comment. Salaam's collaboration indicates the new iteration of One45 could be poised to succeed where its predecessor failed, namely in securing the support of the local councilmember, who traditionally dictates whether or not a rezoning passes the City Council thanks to the unofficial practice of member deference. Levine struck a hopeful tone as One45 works its way through the city's rezoning process, which will continue to play out over the next few months. 'This is really night and day from three years ago, that's why I'm very optimistic,' he said. For his part, Teitelbaum said he was 'certainly' more optimistic this time around, though largely kept mum when asked about the ongoing negotiations. 'The project speaks for itself,' he told The News. 'We'll let the process play out.'
