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.
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.
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!
Mayor De Blasio, give us back our community center!
Stay tuned for news about opportunities to help showcase the rich history of old P.S. 64 and celebrate what it could be today!
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.
Tuesday Jan. 24th at 1pm – Testify at the BSA Hearing!
The developers of 432 E.14th Street have applied to The Board of Standards and Appeals for variance to build higher than our zoning allows — 50% (four floors) higher!
Left: Former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office. Center: Height allowed (8 stories). Right: Height requested 12 stories).
Compare the heights above. Compliance is 8 stories. Proposed is 12. Like the EVCC, our colleagues in preservation, Community Board 3, and many residents, we believe you will agree that this building is oversized and way out of scale. We worked hard to get special zoning put in place — to prevent exactly this. We need your voice. Tell the BSA we stand behind our zoning.
Testify at the BSA Hearing on January 24th
BSA hearing room, 22 Reade Street, Spector Hall at 1pm
We believe the developers claims “hardship” because of “unique circumstances” are bogus. Do not let them get away with cramming an oversized building into a space where it doesn’t belong just because it is on 14th Street. The back of the building goes through to 13th Street and will be very visible, have widespread effects and sets a bad precedent. We must stand up to this encroachment and uphold our zoning.
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WHAT CAN YOU DO?
EMAIL THE BOARD OF STANDARDS AND APPEALS via this form. URGE THEM TO REJECT THE VARIANCE!
TESTIFY AT THE BSA HEARING – January 24th at 1pm – BSA hearing room, 22 Reade Street, Spector Hall.
FORWARD BY EMAIL or PRINT OUT this flyer and post it in your lobby or community center, distribute to friends, neighbors, local businesses.
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.
2005: Old P.S. 64 Landmark Status Confirmed 2016: Old P.S. 64 Threatened Again
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.
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.
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
In 2015, an NYU Wagner School Capstone team made projections on the near future of the East Village. After spending a year analyzing trends, policy, and plans, the students prepared a report and presentation on the projected effects of change on residents and the neighborhood’s character.
The East Village is experiencing rapid changes in housing stock, resident demographics, retail offerings and developments. With IBM leasing at Cooper Square and many buildings changing hands, we see potential for significant transformations in the area. In order to have an informed and prepared community, it is important that all influencing factors and trends be identified to prepare community groups, elected officials and residents who may work to mitigate projected effects. Real estate trends, population shifts, existing and proposed policies, planned developments, the condition of cultural resources are all considered in helping to predict what we can expect in the coming years in the area east of Tompkins Square Park.
The Department of City Planning announced that it will present to 51 community boards before further action is taken on the Zoning for Quality and Affordability plan introduced in February. The change is a response community opposition from neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs expressed during the comment period for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. In the East Village, the R8B designations south of Tompkins Square Park will increase by 5 feet. The rest of the neighborhood under R7A zoning remains planned to absorb more generous height lifts including a 5-foot increase with the option to build up to 105 feet for affordable senior or Inclusionary Housing.
The contextual zone in the East Village was enacted in 2008 following a three-year community process. The height restrictions help protect existing buildings and the neighborhood scale.
