16th Street Action

In 2005, Fifth Avenue Committee approached Community Board 7 (CB7) and asked CB7 for a letter to be sent to Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). This letter stated that Fifth Avenue Committee would be the designee to develop 575 5th Avenue. CB7 supported Fifth Avenue Committee on working with HPD. This was after Department of Transportation made a determination that this parking lot was under utilized.

October 4, 2005 - Included in the CB7's letter, "Community Board #7 calls upon the Fifth Avenue Committee to work with community groups and elected officials to determine the appropriate occupancy of the development at 575 5th Avenue." Fifth Avenue Committee was asked by CB7 to see how this project could work for everyone. The Fifth Avenue Committee failed to do this and instead Fifth Avenue Committee had Amie Gross Architects design a building without consulting the community.

December 12, 2006 – Site Plan by Amie Gross Architects for 575 Fifth Avenue.

** The Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) application is a four-steps process in which approaching the Community Board is the first step. CB7 is only an advisory board. The final approval is from The City Planning Commission and The City Council **

December 22, 2006 – The ULURP application was received by Central Intake at the Dept of City Planning (Application # C070262HAK). Fifth Avenue Committee/HPD submitted the ULURP application for the development of 49 Single Room Occupancy (SRO) studio units. 60% of these units will be reserved for homeless mentally disabled individuals and 40% for low-income tenants. This project will be developed under the HPD Supportive Housing Loan Program.

January 8, 2007 - The Department of City Planning certified the ULURP application as complete.

The period for community board review begins on January 17, 2007 and must be completed by March 19, 2007.

February 2007, there were 4 meetings in 7 days in regarding the Supported Housing ULURP application. Some residents were forced to attend 4 meetings within 7 days. Our neighborhood was not represented during these hearings. These meetings were held during the week of Valentine’s Day, President’s Day, Asian Lunar New Year’s and Winter Recess. NYC Board of Education schools were closed for a week and many residents/children were away.

February 8, 2007 - Fifth Avenue Committee extended an invitation to the community to tour 551 Warren Street Supported housing facility for February 10, 2007. The community was given only two days notice for this tour.

February 13, 2007 - South Slope/Concerned Citizens Greenwood Hts informational meeting at the Grand Prospect Hall.

February 15, 2007 - Community Board 7's Public Hearing, We will POST the entire Public Hearing ULURP Application #C070232HAK 575 5th Avenue. The Public Comments were from individuals from Warren Street, DeGraw Street, 20th Street, 13th Street who works with, works for, or has an affiliation with Fifth Avenue Committee. For example Danny Cunningham, the next door neighbor/tenant who supported the project, is also a FAC Board Member and Chairman who praised the FAC. WERE THERE ANY CONFLICT OF INTERESTS?

February 20, 2007 - Borough President Marty Markowitz ULURP application Public Hearing.

February 21, 2007 - Community Board 7's monthly meeting at 4201 4th Avenue.

February 20, 2007 - Borough President Marty Markowitz ULURP application Public Hearing.

February 20, 2007 - Borough President Markowitz held his Public Hearing on this ULURP application however will not render a position or a recommendation until the full Community Board 7 makes a decision the next day 2/21/07. The ULURP application will then go to City Planning and then it will go to the City Council.

February 21, 2007 - Based on the prop up by Fifth Avenue Committee supporters at the Public Hearing, Community Board 7's voted at its monthly meeting to approve the supportive housing project as presented by the Fifth Avenue Committee with the following stipulations:

1. That community representation on the advisory board charged with screening and selecting tenants include at least three (3) residents of 16th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues, one (1) representative of Community Board 7 to be chosen by its executive committee, and two (2) representatives of businesses located on Fifth Avenue near the site.
   
2. That the Fifth Avenue Committee (FAC) formally brief the Board on a bi-annual basis both during the project’s construction phase and after the opening of the facility itself to insure that there is adequate ongoing communication as to the status of the project and the ongoing operation of the facility.
   
3. That the FAC adhere to the agreement that where possible, give preference to seniors and youth aging out of foster care who are mentally disabled individuals.