Rally Increases Call For De Blasio To Take Back P.S. 64

EAST VILLAGE, NY — A day after evacuations near the former P.S. 64 and CHARAS/El Bohio Community Center, activists and Downtown politicians rallied to reignite calls for the mayor to acquire the long-empty, derelict building.

Early Wednesday, fire officials evacuated residents son part of East 10th St. after cracks were reported in the facade of the building. Its owner, Gregg Singer, received a violation for failure to maintain the facade.

For more than two decades, community activists have fought to return the building to community use after Singer bought it from the city in the late 1990s. At a 2017 town hall, the mayor promised locals he would reacquire it, and said last August he was interested in eminent domain as a possibility.

"It's not just an eye-sore," Councilmember Carlina Rivera said at Thursday morning's rally. "It's not right. It's not fair to this community, and we deserve a lot better."

Comptroller Scott Stringer said on Thursday he was meeting with Mayor Bill de Blasio today for a budget briefing and would push de Blasio on his 2017 promise.

“We’re in contact with representatives for the owner and we are exploring options with them," said Jaclyn Rothenberg, a spokesperson for the mayor.

One temporarily evacuated resident, Jason Goodrow, said the P.S. 64 cracks were above his bedroom. Goodrow, an East Villager for 27 years, said neglect of the property has been an ongoing issue with snow and ice piling on the sidewalks, shoddy scaffolding and masonry falling off the building in the past. Sanitation issues on the sidewalks have also been an ongoing problem, activists said.

"Singer has never acted in good faith," Goodrow said.

Activists and pols believe the building's neglect is a part of a larger effort by Singer to ultimately require it to be demolished.

"You are now seeing behind you in real-time, demolition by neglect," said State Sen. Brad Hoylman, who represents parts of the Village, Chelsea, and Hell's Kitchen. "That's what the current owner must see as his end-game since we, thanks to all these elected officials, have blocked his move every step of the way."

Singer admitted to Patch on Wednesday that the more than 100-year-old building needed work, but blamed DOB for revoking his building permits for use as a college dormitory, which were denied last year due to concerns the building would not ultimately be used properly. Singer filed a lawsuit, of which Rivera is a defendant, regarding the revoked permits against the city over a year ago.

Singer said the cracks in the facade did not cause eminent danger, which the Department of Buildings also said on Wednesday. The timing of the incident is the "first step in [de Blasio's] quest" to reacquire his building through eminent domain," Singer said. "This is politics."

Lou Dembrow, who works at the Lower East Side Girls Club, remembers buying bicycles with her daughter through a recycled bikes program at the former schoolhouse when it was home to the CHARAS/El Bohio Community Center.

"What happened yesterday has galvanized everybody," Dembrow said. "How much further does it have to go? ... Now's the moment."

Images credit: Sydney Pereira Images caption: Activists and politicians call for Mayor Bill de Blasio to reacquire the former P.S. 64 and CHARAS/El Bohio Community Center on Thurs., Feb. 7, 2019.