Affordable Housing Plan Advances At Former Harlem Prison

HARLEM, NY — The plan to build 105 affordable co-op apartments at the site of the former Lincoln Correctional Facility in Harlem is moving to the next phase after securing $97.8 million, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said.

The long-empty space at 31–33 West 110th St., flanking Central Park's northern tip between Fifth Avenue and Malcolm X Boulevard, will be redeveloped into 148,000 square feet of affordable co-op units and indoor and outdoor amenities.

Amenities include a community room, a co-working lounge, a children's playroom, and multiple terraces with Central Park views.

"This project will turn a long-vacant site in Harlem into permanently affordable homes for working households while delivering community space, sustainable design and new opportunities for generations of New Yorkers," Hochul said.

"By repurposing underutilized State property, we are helping more New Yorkers build equity and thrive in the communities of their choice," Hochul said.

The project will also include 6,000 square feet of ground-floor space for all kinds of cultural programming, Hochul said.

The apartments will be for households earning between 40 percent and 100 percent of the Area Median Income, offering an affordable path to homeownership.

New York State Assemblymember Eddie Gibbs said that the price range of the apartments shifted after feedback from the neighborhood.

"A few months ago, not a single unit was going to be made available for people making under 80 percent of the Area Median Income," Gibbs said. "Now, 30 percent of units are set aside for households earning 40 percent and 60 percent of the Area Median Income, giving East Harlem residents a real chance at purchasing property right off Central Park. Thank you to all of the community members who joined press conferences, made calls and showed up at public hearings to make your voices heard."

The Lemor Development Group, Infinite Horizons, L+M Development Partners and Urbane Development Group are the developers behind the plan.

The tower, which will be 22 stories tall, will be the tallest 100-percent-affordable apartment building in the city to meet a sustainability standard called the Passive House certification, Hochul said.

No word yet on the construction timeline or when residents will be able to move in.

For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.