[NYguy]

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/...icle-1.2023272

Developers gear up to peddle plan for East Harlem towers, again
The developers of three controversial sky-scraping East Harlem apartment towers will again peddle their plan to neighbors next month.


BY JAN RANSOM
November 25, 2014

The developers of three controversial sky-scraping East Harlem apartment towers will again peddle their plan to neighbors next month.

The Blumenfeld Development Group and Forest City Ratner released renderings of the project, which includes a trio of towers ranging from 32 to 48 stories, atop the East River Plaza mall.

There will be roughly 1,100 units including 275 affordable apartments for those earning between 30% and 60% of the area median income, which is $25,170 to $50,340 for a family of four.

“The benefit is, we are adding 275 units of affordable units to East Harlem without displacing anyone,” said David Blumenfeld, principal at Blumenfeld Development. “We’re creating product that’s needed in East Harlem.”

Community leaders have called for double the number of below-market-rate units.

“You have to have a 50-50 mix of affordable housing or that’s a lot of people that’s going to be gentrfying the neighborhood,” said Alvin Johnson, a member of East Harlem’s Community Board.

Blumenfeld said he isn’t budging.

The project, which will include a 30,000-square-foot community space, must still undergo the public approval process because of separate retail space that will include a Target, Old Navy, Costco and Planet Fitness, which will open in January.

Developers will present plans to the community on Dec. 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the East Harlem Multi-Service Center, 413 E. 120th St.