Harlem Councilman Won't Support Lenox Terrace Rezoning

HARLEM, NY — Harlem City Councilmember Bill Perkins voiced his opposition to an application to rezone the Lenox Terrace apartment complex to facilitate the construction of five new residential towers that would contain 1,600 new apartments during a Wednesday council zoning subcommittee meeting.

Perkins said Wednesday that he has opposed the Olnick Organization's plan for Lenox Terrace for years, and that recent modifications to the proposal have not changed his mind. Perkins cited concerns shared by Lenox Terrace residents about the size and scope of Olnick's planned development and its potential to displace longtime Harlem residents.

"Some in the neighborhood are very concerned that the future of Lenox Terrace will also represent the demise of the neighborhood," Perkins said during Wednesday's committee meeting.

"I emphatically request that my colleagues join me, Borough President Gale Brewer, Community Board 10 and the residents of Lenox Terrace in voicing a definitive NO to this project," the local lawmaker added.

If passed, Olnick's rezoning application would allow the developer to construct five 28-story residential towers throughout the Lenox Terrace site — bounded by Lenox Avenue, Fifth Avenue, West 132nd Street and West 135th Street — to add about 1,600 apartments to the existing 1,700-apartment complex. Olnick also plans to rehabilitate existing units and create new public spaces and amenities available to all residents. Space for the new amenities would be created by moving hundreds of parking spaces to a new underground parking facility.

The rezoning applications would force Olnick to offer between 400 and 500 of the new apartments at below-market levels under the city's Mandatory Inclusionary Housing program.

Perkins' opposition to Olnick's application may signal a death knell for the rezoning plan, as the City Council often defers to local representatives when voting on land use and zoning issues.

Not to be dismayed, Olnick rolled out endorsements of its rezoning plan Wednesday from a number of local organizations such as the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, The Greater Harlem Housing Development Corporation, The Harlem Arts Alliance, Harlem Week and Harlem Grown.

"We understand the pressing and growing need for more affordable housing within the Central Harlem community and how the stated agreement, as part of this proposed development, of the creation of an additional 400-500 affordable units will address that need," William Hurley of The Greater Harlem Housing Development Corporation, said in a statement.

Olnick recently revealed plans for an alternate, as-of-right expansion it may pursue if the rezoning is not passed by the city. In accordance with current zoning regulations, Olnick is allowed to build four 28-story towers at the corners of the Lenox Terrace superblock that would contain 500 market-rate units. Olnick also will not commit to rehabbing existing units or creating new public spaces or amenities under the as-of-right plan. Both the as-of-right scenario and the rezoning scenario will take about seven years to build.

Tom Corsillo, a spokesperson for the Olnick Organization, said in a statement that the firm plans to come to an agreement with Perkins regarding the benefits of rezoning to as-of-right development.

"We understand that there’s more work for us to do in resolving the Councilmember’s concerns, creating a greater understanding that the proposal is a better option than the as of right, and earning his support," Olnick Organization spokesman Tom Corsillo said in a statement.

The City Council subcommittee on zoning and franchises held the rezoning application in committee as a result of Wednesday's hearing.