Millions Coming To Wash Heights In 2022 Budget From Mark Levine

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — The record-high $99 billion budget passed by the City Council in late June includes millions of dollars flowing to Washington Heights. While the majority of those dollars were allocated by District 10 representative Ydanis Rodriguez, millions of dollars were also picked out for certain neighborhood establishments by District 7 representative Mark Levine.

Levine's district covers a portion of Washington Heights that goes from around West 155th Street and Saint Nicholas Avenue to West 165th Street and Amsterdam.

Besides major citywide items like a $15 million "baby bonds program" and $4 million for CUNY scholarships, the budget also includes smaller neighborhood funding allocated by local council members.

Patch previously reviewed the 2022 capital budget document and picked out notable neighborhood funds allocated by Rodriguez. Here are the funds coming to Washington Heights that Levine led the charge on.

• P.S. 004 Duke Ellington, Technology Upgrade: $100,000
• P.S. 28 Wright Brothers, Technology Upgrade: $75,000
• Community Health Academy of the Heights: $100,000
• The Armory Foundation: $388,000
• Fort Washington Park Comfort Station (bathroom) at Discovery Playground: $3,500,000

Here's a breakdown of how significant elements of the funding will be used to improve the Discovery Playground:

• Rodent Extermination: $10,000
• Construction Sign + Fence: $21,000
• Tree Protection: $28,200
• Excavation: $83,250
• Utilities: $175,000
• Green Roof + Solar Panels: $36,000
• Comfort Station (bathroom): $1,800,000
• Site Restoration: $440,000

"The playground has been so heavily used and so embraced by the community, the original plan, though, was to have a bathroom," Levine told Patch. "It's a real problem because you are basically half a mile from a comfort station (bathroom) in either direction and for families with young kids, that's just not practical."

There isn't an expected completion date yet for the new bathroom, but Levine said that the design for the project is expected to start this year.

Read More: Washington Heights Playground Getting Bathroom, Other Upgrades