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Celebration Rally for CHARAS / El Bohio / Former P.S. 64
Rally 12pm Monday NOV 6
CITY HALL STEPS
Join Us As We Mark the Anniversary of the late Community Leader and
CHARAS Co-Founder Armando Perez’s Birthday and
Celebrate the Mayor’s Announcement of His Intent to
Reacquire CHARAS / EL BOHIO / FORMER P.S. 64!
RALLY & PRESS CONFERENCE
With speakers Councilmember Rosie Mendez, Carlos ‘Chino’ Garcia,
CHARAS, Inc., Andrew Berman, GVSHP, Laura Sewell, EVCC and others!
Wake up Loisaida, defend what’s yours!
– Armando Perez
– Armando Perez
Old P.S. 64 CHARAS / El Bohio News
Mayor Bill de Blasio, Town Hall, October 12, 2017:
I understand now that there’s been, for over a decade-and-a-half, a controversy and a problem over the CHARAS building, and that the decision made a long time ago by the Giuliani administration was a mistake.
For the Giuliani administration to put that building into private hands failed miserably, and we’ve seen the negative effect that that has had on the community.
So I’m announcing tonight, the City’s interest in reacquiring that building.
We are ready to right the wrongs of the past, and we will work with Council Member Mendez and her successor to get that done.
A thrill went through the Town Hall crowd that heard these words, and nothing can diminish the value of the Mayor’s public recognition of the truth.
The East Village Community Coalition looks forward to working with the Mayor’s office, Council Member Mendez and her successor, Community Board 3, CHARAS, GVSHP, our coalition partners and our neighbors to see this cherished landmark returned to true community use.
Save The 3rd And 4th Avenue Corridors 6:30PM WED 9/13
Critical CB 3 Meeting: Rezoning the 3rd & 4th Avenue Corridors
Save Third & Fourth Avenues in the East Village!
Join GVSHP and neighbors at the
Community Board 3 Land Use Committee Meeting
Wednesday, September 13 6:30pm
Rutgers Community Center 200 Madison Street (btwn Rutgers & Pike Streets)
F Train to East Broadway; M 15 Bus (1/2 Ave) to Pike & Madison
Meeting begins at 6:30 pm; this is item #4
GVSHP will be presenting its proposal for rezoning the 3rd and 4thAvenue corridors to prevent oversized commercial development in this area, such as the 300 room, 13-story hotel under construction at 112-120 East 11th Street, at this upcoming Community Board 3 Land Use Committee meeting. GVSHP is proposing and seeking zoning protections for the area between 5th and 3rd Avenues, Union Square and Astor Place,which is unique within the Village and East Village for its lack of adequate zoning and landmark protections. Community Board 3 ONLYcovers the area east of 4th Avenue, so Wednesday’s meeting is solely focused on 3rd and 4th Avenues.
(Community Board 2 covers west of 4th Avenue, and is already STRONGLY on record in support of our proposed zoning protections for Broadway and University Place.)
If you oppose overdevelopment in this area, it is vital that you attend. This is not a public hearing, but residents of Community Board 3 may speak in support of zoning protections for Third and Fourth Avenues. Thank you, and see you there!
Old P.S. 64/CHARAS – Time for a Change – Sign THIS Petition
For two decades, Old P.S. 64 has lain fallow and allowed to deteriorate, when it could have been serving our community.
We all agree it’s time for change! So let’s get serious and ask the Mayor again to restore our treasure and return it to community use. Start by signing THIS petition.
Read carefully when asked to sign a petition, because there are two! THIS is the one you want to sign to support the return of Old P.S. 64 as a true community facility!
Stay tuned for news about opportunities to help showcase the rich history of old P.S. 64 and celebrate what it could be today!
432 E. 14th St – Update: Developer Withdraws Revised Plan
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Old PS 64 💌 Rally & Press Conference – Tuesday, 2/14, 2pm
Join elected officials, community organizations and activists to ask Mayor de Blasio to be our Valentine and give us back our Community Center former CHARAS El Bohio, P.S. 64 at 605 East 9th Street!
Artists, dancers, actors, musicians, residents, community not-for-profit orgs. & service providers. Come as your favorite cultural or community resource, or come as you are!
What can you do?
- Come to the Rally and Press Conference about saving Old P.S. 64/Charas-El Bohio on Tuesday, 2/14, 2pm — Steps of City Hall
💌 RSVP, invite your friends, like and share the Facebook invite to the Rally - Come to MORUS for Sign Painting
Sunday, February 12th from 3:30pm to 7:30pm
Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space, 155 Avenue C
💌 RSVP, invite your friends, like and share the Facebook invite to the Rally - Print out the Valentine’s Rally flyer and distribute to friends, neighbors, local businesses.
💌 Ask your favorite businesses to post it in their window. - Write Mayor de Blasio!
💌 Urge him to reverse the Department of Buildings’ ruling and not allow a phony “dorm for hire” to go into old P.S. 64.
Brief history:
In 2005 community members, organizations and elected officials joined to get Old P.S. 64 landmarked and the City limits uses here to “community facilities.” As the developer tried repeatedly to get around the the usage restriction by making it a “dorm for hire,” so our community allies asked the City to tighten up the dorm rules.
The developer owner is trying yet again to sneak around these tighter rules and has hired the same lobbyist involved in the scandalous lifting of the deed restriction for the nearby Rivington House! And what’s worse is now it’s the DoB breaking it’s own rules! That has terrible implications, not just for our beloved CHARAS El Bohio, but for endangered, culturally significant buildings across the City.
💌Mayor de Blasio, have a heart and put a stop to this!💌
Read more on recent happenings at The Villager and at GVSHP or find a full history here.
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432 E. 14th St. TOWER – 1/24 OPPOSE Variance Application!
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Old P.S. 64/CHARAS Community Meeting – Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017
Join neighbors, community organizations and elected officials for an update on recent developments at Old P.S. 64/CHARAS. A Community Meeting will be held at Loisaida, Inc, 710 East 9th Street on Wednesday, January 18th at 6:30pm. You cans also help by emailing the mayor and inviting others! See links below.
Stand with your neighbors and community partners, again, to ask the City to return Old P.S. 64 / Charas / El Bohio to the East Village as a community and cultural resource.
What is the urgency right now? The developer has obtained work permits for a portion of the building which goes against the DoB’s own regulations on partial leasing. Since DoB has refused to rescind the permits we need to take it to the mayor. What can you do now.
- Email or print this flyer and invite every community member to join us on Jan 18th to urge Mayor DeBlasio to have the DoB to rescind these improper permits immediately, before Old PS 64 is damaged beyond repair.
- Write Mayor de Blasio and urge him to reverse the Department of Buildings’ ruling
A brief history:
In 2005 community members, organizations and elected officials joined to get Old P.S. 64 landmarked and the City limits uses here to “community facilities.”
Old P.S. 64 has sat vacant and fallow since the developer has tried repeatedly to tear the building down has removed its valuable architectural features, and get around the the usage restriction by making “dorm for hire.”
The EVCC, GVSHP and our community allies asked the City to tighten up the dorm rules to prevent developers from slipping in “dorms for hire” and other uses disguised as legitimate dormitories.
The developer owner is seeking to get around these tighter rules that we fought for. He has hired the same lobbyist involved in the scandalous lifting of the deed restriction for the nearby Rivington House.
Read more at The Villager and at GVSHP. For a comprehensive history, see P.S. 64 – CHARAS, El Bohio: A History.
What can you do?
- Come to the community meeting about saving Old P.S. 64/Charas-El Bohio on Wednesday, January 18, 2017- 6:30 p.m. at Loisaida, Inc., 710 East 9th Street (SW corner at Ave. C) – flyer here.
- Print out this flyer and distribute to friends, neighbors, local businesses.
- Write Mayor de Blasio! Urge him to reverse the Department of Buildings’ ruling and not allow a phony “dorm for hire” to go into old P.S. 64
REPORT: Preserving Local, Independent Retail
The EVCC announces the release of Preserving Local Independent Retail: Recommendations for Formula Retail Zoning in the East Village.
The East Village is known for its colorful history of immigration, art, music, community advocacy and grassroots movements. Over the years the community has been home to a variety of artists, writers, and political activists — each group playing a significant role in shaping the neighborhood and creating the unique place that exists today. Today the East Village is one of New York’s most diverse neighborhoods, made up of residents from a variety of backgrounds and of various economic means.
Retail in the East Village has predominantly been made up of small, independent, local businesses. The small storefronts found throughout the neighborhood have provided affordable, low-risk opportunities for small business owners and local entrepreneurs. Today in the East Village a shift can be seen from independent stores to chains or franchises as well as from small storefronts to those with larger footprints. These stores are changing the landscape of the neighborhood by altering the shopping choices from independent to mass-market retailers. The expansion of these chains creates even more challenges for local, independent retailers.
Like many in other municipalities, the EVCC has determined that the presence of chain businesses can be detrimental to community character and local economies. Preserving Local, Independent Retail is presented as part of our Get Local! campaign launched in 2006 to promote a diverse retail mix of independent stores that reflect the neighborhood’s character and serve its population. Three possible methods of formula retail restriction zoning are proposed within the report. These options — aimed at informing decisions by East Village policy makers — have been crafted using case studies, legal suggestions and pre-existing zoning frameworks from other parts of the country.
As trends of gentrification and homogenization continue in New York, with respect to both the built environment and retail landscape, a timely solution is needed to preserve the individuality of the city’s neighborhoods. Placing restrictions on formula retail establishments via zoning amendments provides a path to preserving the rapidly changing East Village. Creating an East Village Special District using our framework will emphasize the importance and uniqueness of the community. Contact us to learn how you can help us create the Special Retail District the East Village needs.
Download your copy of the Preserving Local, Independent Retail Report
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