Renovation Complete At Harlem's Randolph Houses: Officials

HARLEM, NY — The renovation of more than 280 public and below-market housing units on a Harlem block is complete, city officials announced Wednesday.

The Randolph Houses renovation project transformed 36 five-story tenement buildings into three wheelchair-accessible buildings with 147 units of public housing and 134 units of below-market housing, officials said. The development — located on the north and south sides of West 114th Street between Adam Clayton Powell and Frederick Douglass boulevards — was once one of the last fully-distressed blocks in Harlem after decades of disrepair.

In addition to the preservation of more than 280 homes, the renovation project added about 5,500 square feet of indoor community space and 9,000 square feet of outdoor space for tenant amenities such as a library, laundry rooms, play areas for children, computer rooms and tenant gardening space, officials said.

The Randolph Houses development was acquired by the New York City Housing Authority in the 1970s.

"We are thrilled to celebrate the restoration and revitalization of the historic A. Philip Randolph Houses, helping the City get closer to its affordable housing goals," NYCHA Interim Chair and CEO Stanley Brezenoff said in a statement. "The completion of the Randolph Houses final stage to renovate public housing and build new affordable options for low-income families is important as we strive to ensure the City stays diverse and affordable for future generations."

During the renovation, historic features such as masonry facades, cornices, exterior walls, and interior circulation patterns were preserved. The tenement buildings that make up the Randolph Houses were built in the 1890s and were designated part of a National Historic District by the National Parks Service in 2014.

The Randolph Houses renovation was done in two phases. The first phase, completed in 2016, restored the 22 previously vacant buildings on the south side of West 114th Street and resulted in the creation of mostly public housing units. The second phase, completed this year, restored the 14 buildings on the north side of block into below-market-rate units.

The renovation project was backed by both public agencies and private organizations such as the city Department of Housing Preservation and Development and the Housing Development Corporation, Trinity Financial, Inc., West Harlem Group Assistance, Incc., Red Stone Equity Partners and Bank of New York Mellon.

The redevelopment cost a total of $159.3 million, with $63.8 million spent on the recently completed second phase.

Photo by city department of Housing Preservation & Development