Mayor Michael Bloomberg, N.Y.C. Housing Authority chairman John Rhea, schools chancellor Dennis Walcott and Dept. of Housing Preservation and Development commissioner Matthew Wambua, N.Y. Yankee Mark Teixeira and Harlem RBI executive director Rich Berlin unveiled the partnership to develop a mixed-use facility that will include 90 new affordable housing units, the DREAM Charter School and RBI's program and office space. Scheduled to open for the 2014-2015 school year, the new school space will accommodate up to 450 students between kindergarten and eighth grade. The mayor was also joined at Harlem RBI's Field of Dreams by council member Melissa Mark-Viverito, parents and students from DREAM Charter School and Harlem RBI program participants and alumni.
"This building will be a place where N.Y. families can afford to live, children can get a first-rate education, and a fantastic non-profit can expand its services," said Bloomberg. "East Harlem will experience the benefits of this development immediately, but the greater impact on our city as a whole will come in the future - when this school produces successful alumni who lead us to a better and brighter future. This partnership between the city, a non-profit, and generous donors is a great example of public-private collaboration making things happen."
The building will be located on East 104th St. between Second and Third Aves., on site at the Washington Houses. As currently planned, the $85 million, 13-story, 150,000 s/f building is expected to break ground in the summer of 2012 and open in the summer of 2014.
It will include:
* The new home of DREAM Charter School, which is currently being incubated at PS 38 on 102nd St. In 2008, after 17 years of working in East Harlem and producing exceptional results, Harlem RBI opened DREAM Charter School. DREAM's mission is to educate East Harlem children through a comprehensive K-8 program that builds a community of passionate, lifelong learners. DREAM is a model learning community with high expectations, a strong culture of care and a vision of student success and excellence. Today the school serves 200 students and will grow one grade each year until it reaches capacity at 450 students, grades K-8.
* Approximately 90 units of low-income housing, including studios, one, two and three-bedrooms. The building will be part of the Administration's $8.4 billion New Housing Marketplace Plan to create and preserve more than 165,000 homes and apartments. Since July 2004, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development and Housing Development Corp. have financed construction or renovation of more than 113,000 affordable housing units, nearly 7,300 of them in East Harlem's Community Board 11.
* Program space and the home office of Harlem RBI. Harlem RBI began in 1991 when a group of volunteers transformed an abandoned, garbage-strewn lot into two baseball diamonds for the youth of East Harlem. Since then, Harlem RBI has grown to serve more than 1,000 boys and girls, ages 5 to 21, with year-round academic, sports and enrichment programs. Harlem RBI's comprehensive approach to youth development replaces the barriers inner-city youth typically face with concrete opportunities to build the skills and confidence needed to graduate high school, matriculate to college and break the cycle of poverty. Since 2005, 98% of Harlem RBI seniors have graduated high school, 94% of seniors have been accepted into college and 99% of participants have avoided teen parenthood.
"This project is representative of the public-private partnerships that are essential to transforming education and communities," said Walcott. "The building of Harlem RBI's new home and DREAM Charter School is an example of how N.Y.C. is committed to investing in public housing neighborhoods. Working with partners like Harlem RBI, N.Y.C. will create another state-of-the-art school building and expand the opportunities available for the community it serves."
"We are here today because we are focused on students, NYCHA residents and their families, and to show our continued involvement in building the neighborhoods that will serve East Harlem families' needs in the 21st century," said Rhea. "NYCHA is grateful to the mayor, to chancellor Dennis Walcott and to commissioner Mathew Wambua for their support; they have been true partners from this project's inception."
"Two decades ago, the city owned nearly 65% of Harlem," said Wambua. "Today, thanks in large part to the mayor's New Housing Marketplace Plan and our partners in the for-profit, not-for-profit and financial sectors, we see projects such as this one bringing new life and hope to this community. On behalf of HPD and our sister agency, the Housing Development Corp., we are looking forward to working with NYCHA and the Harlem RBI team to see that the housing portion of this proposed development gets funded, built and occupied."
"In 1991, Harlem RBI constructed a beautiful baseball Field of Dreams with the belief that we could work the East Harlem community to build a better future for our children. Today, with 98% of Harlem RBI youth graduating high school and 94% going on to college, we are proud to help lead a pioneering capital project to support another generation of East Harlem youth. We are honored to stand with the mayor, chancellor Walcott, chairman Rhea, commissioner Wambua and our heavy hitter, Mark Teixeira, to ensure this next DREAM comes true," said Rich Berlin, executive director of Harlem RBI. "With the help of our development partners - Jonathan Rose Cos. and Civic Builders - this collaborative effort will allow Harlem RBI and DREAM to provide a world class place for youth to play, learn and grow."
"I became involved with Harlem RBI and DREAM Charter because I believe the work we are doing is truly changing lives," said Teixeira, Yankees first baseman, co-chair of Harlem RBI's Capital Campaign. "It is my hope that my involvement can help shine even more light on this incredible organization and these extraordinary kids."
"I am proud to witness the joint efforts of mayor Bloomberg, chancellor Walcott, chairman Rhea, Harlem RBI and the generosity of Mark Teixeira that have led to this investment into our community," said congressman Charles Rangel. "We have an obligation to provide an environment where parents can let their children grow up in a place they can call home, without fear for their safety or want of quality education."
"This innovative partnership demonstrates the possibilities for the use of NYCHA's vacant land in a way that benefits its residents and the surrounding community," said Mark-Viverito. "This project brings new 100% income-targeted housing into our neighborhood that is so desperately needed, and represents an exciting step forward for Harlem RBI, which has a history of providing such great services to our local young people. The project also stands to benefit public housing residents in a big way, with dedicated school seats and priority affordable units for NYCHA residents. Best of all, the housing will remain affordable for decades to come, as it will ultimately be sold back to NYCHA. I welcome this project in my community of El Barrio/East Harlem and thank mayor Bloomberg, chancellor Walcott, chairman Rhea and all others who have made this possible."
"Mark Teixeira's donation is a well-deserved investment in Harlem RBI, and the education of over 1,000 young people, as well as the future sustainability and affordability of housing in East Harlem," said assemblyman Robert Rodriguez. "The investment represents a model investment in the future of the East Harlem community."
"Civic Builders is proud to be a part of this innovative public-private partnership that will provide the great community of East Harlem with an excellent school for children and quality affordable housing for families," said David Umansky, CEO and co-founder of Civic Builders. "We applaud the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit that the Bloomberg administration has brought to bear in this partnership."
"Jonathan Rose Cos. is pleased to join Harlem RBI, Civic Builders, NYCHA, and our public partners in the creation of a green, mixed-use, community-based model combining education and affordable housing, expanding opportunities and resources for public housing authorities and their residents," said Jonathan F.P. Rose, president of Jonathan Rose Cos.
Funding for construction of the school is being made possible in part by a $32.5 million grant from the N.Y.C. Department of Education's Charter Facilities Matching Grant Program. The Department of Housing Preservation and Development and the Housing Development Corp. will contribute nearly $30 million toward the residential portion, which is expected to close in 2012. Harlem RBI will raise $20 million in individual, corporate and foundation donations. Teixeira has contributed $1 million. The development and construction of the building will be led jointly by Jonathan Rose Cos. and Civic Builders.
The project is expected to create up to 400 construction jobs, and 100 new permanent full and part-time jobs. As part of the project, Harlem RBI also hopes to renovate Blake Hobbs Park, a 25,000 s/f park between 103rd St. and 104th St. Once constructed, N.Y.C. will take ownership of the school building while DREAM Charter will maintain and operate the school. The N.Y.C. Housing Authority will also have an option to purchase the housing units for $1 after a 15-year lending period expires.
Washington Houses is named after George Washington and consists of 14 buildings, 12 and 14-stories tall with 1,511 apartments. Completed September 20, 1957, the 20.82-acre Manhattan development is between East 97th and East 104th Sts., and Second and Third Aves. Tags: