Third Inwood Library Redevelopment Workshop Scheduled

INWOOD, NY — City officials have scheduled a third community workshop to discuss the proposed redevelopment of the Inwood Library. The city has not released an official plan for the redevelopment but officials from two agencies proposed earlier this month the library will be converted into a public-private affordable housing development featuring a renovated library within the building.

Public workshops will now be held Jan. 25, 28 and 31 at the Inwood Library located at 4790 Broadway between Dyckman and Academy streets.

Representatives from Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and the New York Public Library (NYPL) introduced the library redevelopment — still in its early stages — during a meeting of Community Board 12's land use committee. During the presentation the representatives announced that two public "visioning workshops" would be scheduled. But community members at the meeting voiced concern that two community workshops were not sufficient to discuss such a significant project, Community Board 12 Chairman Shah Ally told Patch earlier this month.

During the workshops members of the Inwood community will be able to offer suggestions for the redevelopment and — more likely — critique the eventual city plan. The city has not yet created an official plan for the Inwood Library, so details about levels of affordability, number of apartment units and the proposed building height, were not presented Wednesday night. While the levels of affordability were not disclosed, HPD has stated that 100 percent of the new apartment units will be offered at below-market rates.

"This project presents an exciting opportunity for creative plans to create affordable housing to be developed hand in hand with the revitalization of an important neighborhood asset – the Inwood public library," HPD Comissioner Vicki Been said in a statement. "We are eager to receive community feedback on preferred programming, affordability levels, and building design. We invite all Inwood residents to participate in our interactive workshops and look forward to seeing this important development come to fruition."

Comments made at the workshops will be used to generate an eventual request for proposals (RFP), which will be released in mid 2017, according to the press release. Private developers will then bid on the RFP and the city will select which developer gets the contract — and ownership of the land.

Should the RFP include a request for spot rezoning in order to build a larger building than current rules allow, the city can expect to anger some Inwood residents. Neighborhood residents rallied against and defeated a spot rezoning request for the Sherman Plaza development — a mixed retail and residential development that many residents saw as a "Trojan horse" for gentrification despite affordable housing promises.

If the Inwood Library project follows city precedent it might look something like proposed redevelopments of libraries in Brooklyn Heights and Sunset Park. Both redevelopment plans include renovated libraries with condos stacked atop the libraries. The land will be turned over to whichever private developer is selected to construct the project with the city-owned library acting as a tenant within the building.

Photo by Google Maps street view