An Open Letter To the National Development Council

May 14, 2004

National Development Council
51 East 42nd Street, Suite 300
New York, NY 10024
T: 212.682.1106
F: 212.573.6118

Chairman - Mr. Samuel S. Beard
Wilmington, Delaware
(Co-founder of the American Institute for Public Service)

Daniel Marsh
Regional manager and president of N.D.C. Housing and Economic Development Corporation

MISSION: "The National Development Council was founded in 1969 with one purpose: increasing the flow of capital for investment, jobs and community development to underserved urban and rural areas across the country."

Dear Messrs. Beard and Marsh:

We appeal to NDC to formally withdraw from any participation in the plan of 9th and 10th Street L.L.C., represented by Mr. Gregg Singer, to demolish P.S. 64, CHARAS/El-Bohio and develop dormitory space on this site.

P.S. 64, CHARAS/El-Bohio was stolen from and needs to be returned to our community. The plans for this project call for a 27 story, nearly 850 bed transient student dormitory with a parking garage.

Mr. Marsh was quoted in the March 14-20, 2004 issue of The Villager, speaking about NDC¹s potential role in developing this site. In the May 5 - 11 issue of The Villager Web, Mr. March indicates that NDC had at that time completed 10 to 15 percent of the due diligence to assess if NDC wants to develop the dormitory project.

We have not learned about the results of NDC¹s due diligence. We appeal to NDC to commit in writing to its intention not to participate in the destruction of P.S. 64, CHARAS/El-Bohio.

Over 7,500 letters and petitions have been signed by people in our community seeking to landmark P.S. 64 and, among additional points, to return this property to its place in the community. Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, State Senator Martin Connor and Councilmember Margarita Lopez have written to the Landmarks Commission to encourage landmarking this turn of the century Beaux-Arts school building. The Housing Committee of Community Board 3 has unanimously moved to support the landmarking of P.S. 64 and its return to the Community.

We understand that NDC has verbally indicated it does not intend to proceed with the 9th and 10th Street L.L.C. proposal. We respectfully request NDC to commit this intention in a letter to the Community.

We hope that NDC is interested to work with our Community to return this treasured property to the Community.We wish that you will do so.

Sincererly,
The East Village Community Coalition