The Harlem Neighborhood Block Association

Neighbors united to improve the quality of life in Harlem

Tag: Voting

A Wooden Harlem House

Posted on by Harlem Shill

Ephemeral New York had a great article about a small, two-story wooden home on West 124th Street, here in Harlem.

Today the location is the back of Whole Foods (essentially their loading dock) :

But in the 19th century (and into the early 20th century) a small wooden home with a charming Victorian porch held the address 109 West 124th Street:

Ephemeral New York estimates it was built in the 1850’s. By 1887 it was sold for $10,000.

The house was briefly the location of an art school called the Lenox Art Academy. Several newspaper references in the early 1900s note the classes the school offered and gallery exhibitions.

To read the full article, see:

This country clapboard house was a 19th century Harlem holdout

Early Voting Ends Today

https://www.voting.nyc/how-to-vote/early-voting/

If you want to vote early, today’s your day. Make sure to check your early polling place as this frequently differs from your normal election day site.

If you have time on Tuesday to volunteer, many campaigns are looking for people to hand out literature, rally support, or wave signs.

Yesterday, the Kristin Jordan team noted that any/all help would be appreciated on Tuesday at 134th and Lenox. But whatever candidate/s you support would likely love to have a few extra hands, so please reach out to their campaigns and help get Harlem to the polls.

The Victoria Tower Residences

Posted on by Harlem Shill

The Victoria Tower Residences on 125th street is starting to show apartments. The building is behind, yet incorporates the facade of the old Victoria Theater.

The 27-story high rise shares its space with the Renaissance Marriot Hotel and is being marketed as a luxury building with a two-story lounge, multiple meeting rooms, a fitness center, and adjacent restaurants that will offer residential tenants hotel services.

To schedule a tour, see:

http://www.victoriatowerresidences.com/index.cfm?e=inner4&itemcategory=93076

35 West 110th Street

This may be the only externally mounted clock in Harlem. 35 West 110th Street.

Note the address is on the clock itself and yes, the time is correct.

November 2, looms

Nov. 2 is when we’ll lock in our choices for a ton of open seats in city government. Not only are we choosing a new mayor, comptroller and five new borough presidents, term limits mean the bulk of the City Council is turning over, too. 

New York’s crowded primary this past June had relatively high turnout, as nearly three in 10 registered voters cast ballots. (It’s a low bar.) 

Now, the city returns to the polls to finalize our picks in the General Election on Nov. 2.

But Election Day is merely the last day you can cast your ballot: Keep these key earlier dates in mind:

  • Oct. 18 — Last day you can request an absentee ballot online or by mail to vote at home or outside of the city. Request your absentee ballot from the city Board of Elections (BOE) here. You can mail your ballot in any time before Election Day.
  • Oct. — The early voting period begins, running through Halloween. 
  • Nov. 1 — Last day to request an absentee ballot in person.
  • Nov. 2 — Election Day and the last day to postmark your absentee ballot.

Halloween Events from MMPCIA

Power Outages

Posted on by Harlem Shill

Last month’s power outages in Texas (Thanks deregulation!) led to the exponential use of a previously obscure website that tracks (nationally) power outages. This might be a good site to bookmark, although, the obvious ‘If the power is out, how are you going to look at it?’ question applies: https://poweroutage.us/area/regions

The site shows states with outages and allows you to drill down to look at regional, state, and local level data. Here’s what I found when I checked, 4 customers in Manhattan without power, this evening.

For information about what’s happing right now, see this link: https://poweroutage.us/area/county/2248

I Want Your Vote! (But did they vote?)

City Limits has a fascinating look at who among the mayoral candidates has had a record of voting in New York City elections.

To learn more about the complexity of age, time out of the city, and more, see the full article here:

NYC’s Mayoral Candidates Are Asking You To Show Up at the Polls. Did They?

Lex/125 New Development

GothamToGo has published a report on a new potential development at the corner of Lexington and 125th Street on the south-west corner.

Plans for the East 125th Street Apple Bank Building + Adjacent Lot Unfolding ~ East Harlem

If this project goes forward, it would mark an incredible change for this part of the Lexington and 125th Street corridors.