Harlem African Burial Ground Project Gains Key Approval

EAST HARLEM, NY — A city project to construct a massive mixed-use development on the site of a former bus depot in East Harlem has been approved by the City Planning Commission, making it one step away from completing the public review process.

Last week the CPC unanimously voted to support a proposal from the New York City Economic Development Corporation to rezone the entire city block on East 126th Street between First and Second avenues to accommodate a development containing up to 655,215 square feet of residential space, 315,000 square feet of commercial space, 30,000 square feet of community space and 18,000 square feet dedicated to an outdoor memorial on the site of a former african burial ground dating back to the 17th century, city officials said.

Including parking, the entire development would span 1,090,215 square feet, according to an Environmental Impact Statement.

The development — which the EDC has dubbed the "126th Street African Burial Ground Memorial and Mixed-Use Project" — has been in the works since 2015 when the city formed The Harlem African Burial Ground Task Force and Bus Depot Task Force to create a proposal that would both honor the site's history and meet the housing and jobs needs of East Harlem, according to the city EDC.

A spokesman for the EDC called the CPC vote a "major step" forward for the project.

"Today’s vote marks another major step towards building a permanent memorial for the historic Harlem African Burial Ground and providing affordable housing and jobs for East Harlem residents. We are grateful to receive the support of the City Planning Commission and look forward to continuing to work with Speaker Mark-Viverito, the Harlem African Burial Ground Task Force, and other community leaders to make this project a reality,” EDC spokesman Anthony Hogrebe said in a statement.

The next — and final — step in the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) will be the vote of the City Council. If the proposal passes the city council a Request For Proposals — when the city seeks project bids from developers — is expected to begin in 2018. The project is expected to be constructed by 2022, according to an environmental impact statement.

Of the anticipated 730 apartments that would be constructed in the new development the city has committed to offering at least 50 percent of the units at below-market rents, according to an environmental impact statement. While city officials have not indicated whether they plan to offer more units at "affordable" rates, the EDC announced in March that 20 percent of the new units will be offered at "deep" affordability. Those units will be offered at 30 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI), or an annual income of $24,500 for a family of three, officials said.

Photo courtesy Google Maps street view