Proposed East Harlem Affordable Housing Complex Welcomed By Board

EAST HARLEM, NY — A proposed development in East Harlem that would bring 550 units of affordable housing won the unanimous backing of a neighborhood community board committee Wednesday night.

The project by developers Tahl Propp Equities would create two new, 17-story buildings on a vacant lot along Park Avenue between East 126th and 127th streets. The lot, partly owned by the city, sits between two existing low-income housing developments: the 1775 Houses and AK Houses.

The two new buildings, which would also be reserved for those with low and extremely low incomes, would have 200 and 350 units each, presenters told Community Board 11's land use, landmarks and planning committee on Wednesday.

Tahl Propp, which manages about 3,200 affordable apartments in East Harlem, was seeking a letter of support from the board to engage the city's Housing Preservation Department over developing their portion of the lot.

Residents in the existing buildings would not be displaced while the new buildings are under construction, representatives from Tahl Propp told the board. East Harlem residents would be prioritized once applications open.

Plans also call for new retail space along Park Avenue, which could enliven an underutilized stretch under the Metro-North train tracks, presenters said.

Presenters warned that the plans presented Wednesday were preliminary and subject to change once the project is formally proposed and enters the monthslong ULURP process. That will involve returning to CB11 for a formal presentation before the City Council gets a final say.

The committee reacted positively to the presentation, although member Jessica Morris asked that the developers notify residents in neighboring buildings — not just the community board — once the project moves closer to construction.

"I'm sure that they would like to know what's coming down the pipeline in their backyard," she said.