State Eyes Former Chelsea Prison For Affordable, Transitional Housing

CHELSEA, NY - A former women’s correctional facility in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood is set to be revamped into affordable and supportive housing, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Tuesday.

In what serves as Hochul’s latest attempt at bolstering New York's housing growth, the governor’s office issued the request for proposals to transform the site of the 100,000-square-foot former Bayview Correctional Facility at 550 West 20th St. into a residential complex with “onsite community uses that will benefit area residents and reintegrate the structure into the surrounding neighborhood,” according to a statement from Hochul’s office.

"By reimagining the Bayview facility as affordable housing, we are not only creating more housing options for New Yorkers – we are expanding the possibilities of what former prisons and other unused state properties can become,” Hochul said.

"New York’s future depends on increasing the state’s housing supply, and between the recommendations of the Prison Redevelopment Commission and executive actions I announced earlier this year, our state is taking leaps forward to repurpose these vacant facilities and leverage them as critical tools to address the housing crisis.”

The affordable and supportive housing portion is set to be developed in partnership with New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), while short term transitional housing will be developed in partnership with the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH).

Proposals must include at least 60 units of supportive housing for homeless families and individuals with unmet housing needs, according to the request, as well as ensure meaningful minority-, women- and service-disabled veteran-owned business participation.

Proposals should also consider the facility’s existing art deco design and the neighborhood’s unique character, consistent with the local community board’s Bayview redevelopment plan. Proposals are due by Dec. 13 at 5 p.m.

The facility would be an affordable relief for New Yorkers in a neighborhood where the average asking rent is $2,000 higher than the city’s average, according to CoStar data.

The median asking rent in Chelsea last month was $5,420, according to StreetEasy. That’s compared to a median $4,079 in August 2018. Rental inventory also decreased by 5.38 percent in that five-year period.

The former correctional facility was built in 1931, initially as an art deco-style brick masonry building before it was turned into a medium-security women’s prison in 1974. Flooding due to Superstorm Sandy closed the facility in 2012.

“Recognizing that the West Chelsea neighborhood has a critical shortage of affordable housing options, the redevelopment of Bayview will be a key catalyst for inclusive and sustainable urban development, provide much needed housing for New Yorkers who require services within a supportive living environment, and enhance neighborhood vibrancy and quality of life for residents in the surrounding area,” Hochul’s office added.