CB11 Votes for a 12 Month Drug Program Moratorium

Nick Garber reports in Patch on the vote in Community Board 11 to try a 12 month moratorium on the siting of new drug programs in the districts.

https://patch.com/new-york/harlem/drug-clinics-face-scrutiny-harlem-residents-push-back

The moratorium also asks for more data from the Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) to explain why East Harlem has been packed with addiction programs that other wealthier communities have rejected. Similarly, the moratorium notes that 80% of the people served by these programs in East Harlem don’t live here, but are drug treatment commuters who travel here for their programs.

The Church of All Saints

The landmarked Church of All Saints in East Harlem may have found a buyer. The New York Post reported recently that this church (which has been up for sale for a few years now, and includes the All Saints School complex to the north of the church which was closed in 2011) is negotiating with a potential buyer.

Historic All Saints Church — called the “St. Patrick’s of Harlem” — is about to be sold, The Post has learned.

The Catholic Archdiocese of New York shuttered the church in 2015 and the landmark building, along with its adjacent school and parish house, which occupy an entire block, have stood empty since.

A spokesman for the Archdiocese would not provide any details on the pending sale.

“There is no final agreement in place; things are in process,” said Joseph Zwilling, a spokesman for the Archdiocese.

https://nypost.com/2021/01/23/historic-all-saints-church-in-nyc-to-be-sold/

There certainly has been a flurry of (scaffolding) activity at the site in the last month or so. You can see a huge vertical scaffold section that has allowed workers to examine and repair the topmost facade cross.

While it’s unclear if the church will be sold or not (many a deal has fallen through before finalized), and once sold, we have no idea if the buyer will warehouse the complex or develop it, still, there is local hope that this building will see new life in some form or another.

The building has been deconsecrated and stripped of religious items in 2017, and as with 98% of landmarking, the interior is not landmarked – a new owner could do whatever s/he wants with the inside.

Note the amazing organ and decoration back when the church was in use.

This church was built for the large Irish Catholic population in this part of Harlem and East Harlem at the turn of the 20th century. More recently, it served a primarily African-American and Nigerian parish base and was run by Franciscans.

Timeline of Our Annus Horribilis – 2020

The Museum of the City of New York has a fantastic timeline out that chart our collective Annus Horribilis – 2020.

Scroll down the page to see what happened and when. Here is an explainer video:

And here is the timeline itself:

https://mcny.nyc/nyresponds/timeline/

MTA Public Hearing re: NYS Eminent Domain Procedure Law

Tue, March 30, 6pm – 7pm

DescriptionThe Metropolitan Transportation Authority (“MTA”), on behalf of itself and its subsidiaries, will hold a Virtual public hearing under Executive Order 202.94 and pursuant to Article 2 of the New York State Eminent Domain Procedure Law (“EDPL”) on the proposed acquisition of permanent & temporary property interests in properties in the Borough of Manhattan for Phase 2, Contract 2 of the Second Avenue Subway Project (“Project”). 

The hearing will review the public uses, benefits, purposes, and location of the Project, the impact the Project may have on the environment and residents of the area, and will give the public an opportunity to comment on the Project and the proposed Property acquisition. Description of the Project  The Second Avenue Subway, when complete, will provide a subway line with 16 new stations extending from 125th St. & Lexington Ave. to Hanover Square, will link MTA New York City Transit facilities with Metro-North Railroad at 125th St. & provide connections to buses. Acquisition of public & private real estate interests along the project route will be necessary for the construction and operation of the Project.

Phase 1 of the Project has already been completed. Currently, the line runs from E. 96th St. to E. 63rd St. along Second Av., where it joins the existing Broadway Line. Phase 2 of the Project will extend the line north to E. 125th St. turning west along E. 125th St. towards Lexington Ave.

Contract 2 consists of construction of the launch box for the Tunnel Boring Machine(s), bored tunnel north from 120th St. at Second Ave. and tunnel & cavern mining for the 125th St. Station and future entrance and ancillary facilities.

This public hearing includes property interests needed for Contract 2 only. Date, Time and Place of the Virtual Hearing Tuesday, March 30, 2021 Hearing begins at 6:00 p.m.  Registration to speak can be made in advance by visiting new.mta.info/2021EDPL-SASP2-hearing, which will remain open through the hearing date.  Registration will close at 6:30 p.m. Please note this Public Hearing is being conducted in a Virtual format under Executive Order 202.94.

The public may join the hearing by visiting https://mta.zoom.us/j/82605599788 or by calling 877-853-5247 (Meeting ID 82605599788).  A link will also be provided on the MTA website.

A Tribute to Women’s History Tickets, Sat, Mar 27, 2021 at 7:00 PM |

www.harlemoperatheater.org

REGISTRATION – Eventbrite

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-tribute-to-womens-history-tickets-146654097353&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwix5paZ_8HvAhWkct8KHUHPBdAQFjAAegQIAhAB&usg=AOvVaw1tfToykmITTN8Rl5Nn4x_3

EVENT LINK – SATURDAY, MARCH 27th – 7PM
Click link to the YouTube livestream for March 27th at 7pm

DONATIONS WELCOME AND APPRECIATED

CB11 Moratorium

After fighting for years, finally, CB11 is willing to consider issuing a resolution on moratorium on drug facilities services in East Harlem to NYC government. The current proposal is by no means enough. We need to push CB11 to ask the government to REDUCE the drug facilities in East Harlem, not just to stop adding more.

Click below to see the agenda:

If at all possible, please help by joining the meeting next Monday Dec 7th to lend more support.

The meeting starts at 6pm, but the topic likely won’t be discussed until past 7pm as it is last on the agenda. 

CB11 is very driven by voices from the community, so we need you to speak up. Do PLEASE raise your hand on zoom to voice your views when the public is called upon to talk.
Please click on the following link to register for the zoom call. Forward to others if possible.
Webinar Registration – Zoom

Dial-In1 646 518 9805

Webinar ID: 923 1335 4400

Number of Jobs Accessible Within an Hour’s Commute (by Public Transit)

From: https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/hpd/downloads/pdfs/wwl-plan.pdf

Sprinklers in All Residential Buildings over 40′ Tall (Because, Trump)

If you live in a building that doesn’t have a sprinkler system, the property owner may soon be required to install one.

New York’s City Council will hold a hearing on a proposal to require the installation of Sprinklers in all residential buildings over 40 feet in height.

On Wednesday 12/2, the Housing and Buildings Committee of the City Council will be holding a Public Hearing on Intro 1146-B, a proposed new law which would require the installation of fire-extinguishing sprinklers in all residential buildings 40 feet tall and higher. If passed, the law would require compliance by 2029.

Most Harlem 3-story rowhouses with a half basement are higher than 40 feet. No word on how homeowners, especially those on fixed incomes, are expected to shoulder the cost of this installation. Estimates on sprinkler installation vary widely but easily can cost upwards of $60,000 or more.

Sign the petition here: https://www.change.org/p/bill-sponsor-barry-s-grodenchik-do-you-own-a-3-story-building-in-nyc-if-so-intro-1146b-will-affect-you

Text for the bill and information about the hearing can be found here: https://on.nyc.gov/2VqHiEJ

It may be of interest to know that this bill is an attempt to fix the loophole that allowed Trump Tower to avoid installing fire suppression equipment. If you recall a fire in Trump Tower caused the death of a man – Trump Tower has no sprinklers.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43686271