Friends, This is a prime example of what I mean when I say, "community gardening is 50% gardening and 100% politics." In NYC, a city that is fighting over gardens that are on developable land in the South Bronx, a new community garden will be created three blocks west of Manhattan's midtown business district. This letter came out of a NYC Community Board Land Use Committee that has one former (the board's vice chair) and one currently active community gardener (me) as active, voting members. The horse trading that made this document happen took place over years. The attached letter will be voted upon at tomorrow's Manhattan Community Board 4 meeting, and will be, in all likelihood passed. It is primarily a letter of support for a mixed used and affordable housing development in the Clinton Urban Renewal Area in Hell's Kitchen. It is, admittedly, a dense and boring zoning letter to a municipality's Dept of Housing Preservation and Development. But among the projected work that is to be done, this letter will create, because of zoning and air rights considerations, a 5,000 square foot community garden. This is an example of what can possibly be done when community gardeners productively invest their valuable free time in zoning and land use matters. Regards, Adam Honigman Hell's Kitchen, NYC April ___, 2006 Hon. Shaun Donovan Commissioner NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development 100 Gold Street New York, NY 10038 Re: 530-548 West 53rd Street and 533-541 West 52nd Street (portion of Clinton Urban Renewal Area Site 7) Dear Commissioner Donovan: Manhattan Community Board No. 4 writes to express its preliminary, conceptual support for the mixed use and affordable housing development proposal by Clinton Housing Development Company and Clinton Housing Association for the undeveloped portion of Site 7 in the Clinton Urban Renewal Area (CURA), at 530-548 West 53rd Street and 533-541 West 52nd Street. The developers presented their written proposal to the community at the April 3, 2006 meeting of the Boardbs Clinton/Hellbs Kitchen Land Use Committee. CHDC and CHA propose to build two separate buildings of 100 residential units each, for a total project of 200 units of affordable housing. The buildings will share a residential entrance on West 52nd Street. The residential units in the 53rd Street building will be built on top of an industrial/commercial base that will incorporate LeNoble Lumber, Cybert Tire, Nakanami Carpentry and studios for artists currently at 500 West 52nd Street. The 52nd Street frontage will include a retail store for current site tenant McKinney Welding. This will allow the relocation and consolidation of CURA commercial and industrial tenants to make way for other affordable housing projects in the CURA. The lot currently occupied by 548 West 53rd Street will be combined with the planned community garden at 550 West 53rd Street to create a 5000 square foot community garden. The developers propose to use the Citybs New Housing Opportunities Program (New HOP) or another similar program to develop a mix of studios, one, two and three-bedroom units for individuals and families earning between 80% and 165% of Area Median Income (AMI). Those limits would serve individuals who earn between $35,200 and $59,400 per year and families of four that earn between $50,240 and $103,620 per year, a population that is underserved by current development practices in our district. This would provide much-needed permanent affordable housing in an area where development pressures are making it increasingly difficult for middle-income families to remain in the community. Community Board 4 has a long-time commitment to creating permanent affordable housing for low- and middle-income families who live in our community, and for the public service workers who serve our community as policemen, firefighters, teachers, librarians, nurses and the like. The site is designated for residential use in the Third Amended Urban Renewal Plan for the CURA, and the proposal to create additional affordable housing is consistent with the Plan and the communitybs vision for the CURA. The proposal outlines the arrangements to be made for the sitebs existing tenants. CHDC is a non-profit housing organization that has been active in the area with recent projects such as the Flats/Old School and 501-505 West 51st Street. CHA is the oldest affordable housing developer in the Clinton Neighborhood. Both developers have developed good working relationships with the Board, and have demonstrated a commitment to working with the community in developing their plans. We would be pleased to work with them on this project. If the project moves forward, UDAAP and ULURP applications will be required, with ample opportunity for public consideration of the proposal in greater detail. At this point, we are pleased to support the proposal in concept, and to encourage HPD to begin discussions with CHDC and CHA about this project. Sincerely, Cc: Electeds CHDC CHA All tenants
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