Deserted School Converted Into Affordable Housing Development With Sate of the Art Boys and Girls Club

HARLEM, NY — For more than four decades PS 186 in Harlem sat neglected on its lot, wasting away into despair. But on Thursday, the scene at the school-turned affordable housing development was one celebration.

Harlem's politicians and neighborhood leaders gathered to cut the ribbon on The Residences at PS 186, a building featuring 79 apartment units at affordable rates and a brand-new clubhouse for the Boys and Girls Club of Harlem.

The restoration of the crumbling PS 186 building cost a total of $48.6 million, of which the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) provided around $24.4 million in tax credits and subsidies. Former City Councilman Robert Jackson also provided $3 million in funding during his tenure on tenure on the council.

"This elegant restoration and adaptive use of PS 186 is truly worth celebrating. The project offers affordable homes to low-income families earning a range of incomes, and serves as a new and bigger space for the Boys and Girls Club of Harlem," said HPD commissioner Vicki Been in a statement. "It’s a wonderful asset for the community. I thank all the development partners who made this restoration possible, and welcome the new residents to their homes."

All 79 apartment units in the building were distributed in an affordable housing lottery open to individuals making a minimum $24,130 annually, and families of three making a minimum $31,008 annually, according to a press release. The units at PS 189 include studio, one-bedroom and two bedroom apartments.

The building will also house an 11,302-square-foot clubhouse for the Boys and Girls Club of Harlem, featuring STEM learning resources, a teen center, a digital media center, college and career readiness training and financial literacy courses, according to a press release.

"For more than 35 years, we have been an anchor for our community, providing programs that support academic success, healthy living, and good character for thousands of local children," Dominique Jones, the club's executive director, said in a statement. "This new chapter in the Boys & Girls Club of Harlem’s long history here in Harlem signifies our renewed commitment to preparing local young people for the challenges of today in a new Club house equipped with the latest technology and learning resources."

The Boys and Girls Club of Harlem also partnered with Lowe's to receive $50,000 in funding for the new clubhouse.

Photo: Courtesy of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation & Development