Offered by Related Companies and Essence Development, residents of two NYC Housing Authority developments are ready to remodel their homes.
NYCHA to Announce Plans to Advance Redevelopment of Fulton Houses and Elliott-Chelsea Houses in West Chelsea, New York Times ReportA survey of residents has found a preference for tearing down and rebuilding these properties rather than simply fixing them.
Tenant support for the demolition-and-rebuild idea has been growing for months. The plan has been in the works for some time, as developers began repairs to the properties more than a year ago.
Tenants in 2019 rejected proposals to demolish at least two public housing buildings, opting instead to let developers renovate. But the prices of these renovations have soared to the point where rebuilding no longer seems prohibitively expensive.
The developer will replace more than 2,000 public housing units. They will also build retail and commercial space, as well as 3,500 mixed-income apartments; 1,000 of which will be put on hold at affordable prices. The project is expected to cost $1.5 billion.
This is a significant development for NYCHA, which has undergone only two previous teardowns in its 90-year history. It will also mark the first time a mixed-income property has been built on NYCHA land.
If this redevelopment is successful, NYCHA and the city may seek to replicate it citywide.
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The developer plans to build the new homes before demolishing the old ones, so residents don’t need to be relocated during the lengthy construction process, which is expected to take six years.
The rebuild still needs approval from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The project also needs to pass ULURP, a process not expected to start until next year.
— holden warner
