Plans Filed for 400-Unit, 15-Story East Harlem Housing Development

EAST HARLEM, NY — Plans have been filed with the Department of Buildings to construct a gigantic housing development set to occupy almost an entire block of East Harlem real estate. Land use and rezoning applications for the Lexington Gardens II development — to be located at 1465 Park Avenue between 107th and 108th streets — were approved by the City Council in December.

The Lexington Gardens II will rise 15 stories and contain 400 apartment units, according to the building plans. In addition to the 400 residential units the 411,725-square-foot development will contain space zoned for commercial and community uses, according to the plans.

The development will offer 100 percent of its units at four different levels of affordability, Politico reported, which means that while some units will be affordable for neighborhood residents many units will actually be more expensive than current East Harlem market rents.

Eighty of the building's apartments will be offered at 30 percent of the area median income (AMI), which is $24,480 for a family of three. Another 120 apartment will be offered at 50 percent AMI, or $40,800 for a family of three. The third level of affordability will include 120 apartments offered at 80 percent AMI, or $65,280 for a family of three. The remaining 80 apartments will be offered at 130 percent AMI, which is $106,080 for a family of three, reported Politico.

Existing neighborhood residents will be able to afford many of the discounted apartments, but with the current levels of affordability high-income residents will be moving into the neighborhood to snag the more expensive units in the building.

The building's units will be parceled out through the city's affordable housing lottery, but there's no indication when applications will begin, New York YIMBY reported. The building's eventual tenants will also have access to amenities such as laundry, a fitness center and rooftop terraces, according to a CB 11 presentation.

Photo courtesy of Community Board 11 Presentation/Curtis + Ginsberg Architects