Former Illegal Hotel Reopens As Permanent Supportive Housing On Upper West Side

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — A onetime illegal hotel on West 107th Street reopened Monday as permanent supportive housing following a $38 million renovation led by Goddard Riverside and Rockabill Development.

The newly opened Stephan Russo Residence, at 235 West 107th St., replaces the former Morningside Inn, which operated illegally as a hotel, in a building meant solely for residential use, until 2021.

The six-story building now contains 68 apartments, down from 84, to provide each tenant with a private bathroom, shared kitchens, a community room, and on-site case management offices, Goddard Riverside said.

"The residence is a true example of how we can rise to meet our city’s housing crisis," Councilmember Shaun Abreu said.

Of the 68 units, 54 will house formerly homeless New Yorkers through the city’s 15/15 Supportive Housing Initiative. Six will be affordable units referred by the city’s housing department, and eight will remain home to long-term tenants, Goddard organizers said.

"Goddard Riverside believes every person deserves the chance to reach their full potential," Goddard Riverside President Roderick L. Jones said Tuesday. "Having a home—not just a roof over your head or a temporary shelter, but a permanent home with your own key—helps make that possible."

All tenants will hold leases and pay about a third of their income in rent, Goddard organizers said. Unlike a shelter, there is no time limit on their stay, and many people can live in supportive housing for decades, Goddard officials said.

Financing came from the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development, J.P. Morgan Chase, the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, and other public and private partners.

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