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WEST 158TH STREET

Several years before the Upper Riverside Residents Alliance formed, three of its current directors – Vivian Ducat, Josette Bailey, and Matthew Spady – asked the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) to extend the Audubon Park Historic District (designated in 2009) to include the twelve row houses on West 158th Street.

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WHAT IS HAPPENING

According to the YIMBY report of 11/15/21, permits were filed to demolish six historic townhouses and erect a 17-story mixed-use development numbered
638 West 158th Street.

 

This tower not only represents the loss of precious historic fabric but also sets a dangerous precedent for our neighborhood.

APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN FILED TO DEMOLISH THESE THREE ROW HOUSES

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In 2021 the URRA included West 158th Street's row houses in a sweeping proposal to the Landmarks Preservation Commission requesting an extended Audubon Park Historic District that would double the current designation's size.   

View slide presentation to learn more.

DEVELOPMENTS ON
WEST 158TH STREET

According to the DoB website, Javier Martinez (developer) has filed applications to demolish three of the row houses: 636, 638 and 640
West 158th Street.

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A 197-foot tower would be a knife in the heart of our neighborhood.

Other towers will follow, ending our affordable community as we know it.

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Please download, print and share this URRA FLYER concerning current events that will have a devastating impact on West 158th Street and the future of Audubon Park Historic District.

 

More information about this issue is on our West 158th Street page.

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WHAT YOU CAN DO

Send a letter or email to
a local leader or elected official to express your concerns.

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Here we provide a sample letter that you may download and personalize. 

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Please put "638 West 158th Street" in
the subject line and kindly cc us, too, at info@saveriverside.org

WHAT YOU CAN DO IF YOU LIVE IN AN AFFECTED CO-OP OR CONDO

Write to members of the Board in your own building.

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Tell your Board to create a Legal Action Fund to address this threat.

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Ask your Board to coordinate with the Boards of neighboring buildings to be proactive in challenging this development. 

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Please put "638 West 158th Street" in
the subject line and kindly cc us, too, at info@saveriverside.org

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ADDRESS YOUR LETTER(S) TO:

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The Honorable Eric Adams

Mayor

City Hall

New York, NY 10007

info@ericadams2021.com

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The Honorable Jumaane Williams

Public Advocate

1 Centre Street

Municipal Building, 15th Floor

New York, NY 10007

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The Honorable Mark Levine

Manhattan Borough President

500 West 141st Street

New York, NY 10031

district7@council.nyc.gov

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The Honorable Charles E. Schumer

Senator

780 Third Avenue, Suite 2301

New York, NY 10017

senator@schumer.senate.gov

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The Honorable Adriano Espaillat

Congress Member

163 West 125th Street, Suite 508

New York, NY 10027

info@adrianoespaillat.org

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The Honorable Robert Jackson

State Senator

5030 Broadway, Suite 701

New York, NY 10034

jackson@nysenate.gov

​

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The Honorable Alfred Taylor

Assembly Member

Assembly District 71

2541-55 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd.

New York, NY 10039

taylora@nyassembly.gov

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Eleazar Bueno

Community Board 12

Chair

Manhattan Community Board 12

530 West 166th Street, 6th Floor

New York, NY 10032

DBlow@cb.nyc.gov

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Sean Abreu

City Council 7

ShaunAbreu@gmail.com

 

Melanie E. La Rocca

Commissioner, Department of Buildings

https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/home/mail/html/maildob.html

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Wayne Benjamin

Community Board 12

Land Use Committee

Manhattan Community Board 12

530 West 166th Street, 6th Floor

New York, NY 10032

wbenjamin@empire.state.ny.us

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SAVE RIVERSIDE

P.O. Box 321709

556 West 158th Street

New York, NY 10032

info@SaveRiverside.org

​

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A REMINDER THAT THIS CAN HAPPEN ON ANY BLOCK HERE IN NORTHERN MANHATTAN.

The noisy and dusty work of excavating the deep foundations has begun on West 153rd Street.

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This is a case study of what happens when the involvement of the community is delayed and the people most affected by this kind of development are not kept informed.

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WE ASK FOR YOUR PATIENCE
AS MORE RESOURCES ARE ASSEMBLED.

THANK YOU.

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