Bruce Teitelbaum's Harlem Development Again Hit With Community Pushback
Last year, Bruce Teitelbaum returned to Harlem with renewed hope that a potentially friendlier city council would allow him to build the housing project that has long faced criticism.
But Wednesday, he was once again struck by backlash as Manhattan Community Board 10 voted 19-10 to advise rejecting his 968-unit apartment complex dubbed One45, The City first reported.
The vote came just a week after the board’s Land Use Committee approved the project, with certain conditions.
“The community benefits that were proposed by the development team did not really have much specificity. It lacked measurable goals. It didn’t give you targets,” CB10 Land Use Committee Chair Karen Dixon, who voted in favor of the project, said during Wednesday’s meeting.
The conditions outlined by CB10 include reducing the buildings’ height from 34 to 28 stories, increasing the amount of community space, employing Harlem residents, creating youth programs and adopting a legally binding community benefits agreement.
The vote doesn't kill the project, but it could give Teitelbaum difficulty moving forward. Next, it will undergo a 30-day review from Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine’s office.
The project proposal is for two mixed-use towers and one retail building, including a community center and 291 permanently affordable units, according to documents filed with the city.
In response to a list of follow-up questions by the council, the developer said he will also “build as many [parking] spaces as we could without compromising our design plans.” Under City of Yes legislation, no parking is required for the project.
Additionally, Teitelbaum said at least 20% of the commercial space at One45 will be reserved for local businesses, half being minority-owned enterprises. Those local retailers will be offered discounted rents, according to the filing.
The updated plan eliminates a previously proposed civil rights museum and adds 102 apartments with more affordability.
The lot was previously home to the historic Hotel Olga before it was demolished in 2019. In April 2021, Teitelbaum unveiled his initial visions for the property.
However, former Council Member Kristin Richardson Jordan killed the project due to calls for the buildings to be 100% affordable. As a result, Teitelbaum pulled the application in 2022 and began operating a truck depot to illustrate to politicians and the public what a lack of development leads to.
The depot is now closed, and the site has since been cleared of all commercial trucks, according to the follow-up response from the developer.
The document also says a community benefits agreement is being negotiated and boasts about existing community partnerships.
Those include the sponsorship of a local summer basketball league, providing free space to local not-for-profits, paying for a free food pantry on the site and operating a professional development program with seven high schools in the area.
Teitelbaum also provided financing for the relocation of the Timbuktu Islamic Center in addition to other donations to the community, according to the filing. The Timbuktu Islamic Center is among the groups that have submitted letters of support for One45.
