Harlem Community Board Rejects Massive One45 Development
The Battle is Far from Over
Manhattan Community Board 10 on Wednesday night voted 19-10 to advise rejecting a 968-unit apartment complex on West 145th Street and Lenox Avenue, the latest setback for a developer in a years-long battle for local support.
“This was a very difficult, very detailed project to review, and there were a lot of debates,” Karen Dixon, CB10 Land Use Committee chair told more than 100 attendees at the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building, and dozens more who tuned in virtually.
Conditions Not Met
Dixon noted the board’s land-use committee had just voted 16-7 on Jan. 29 to approve the project dubbed One45 for Harlem — with several “conditions.” Those conditions included: reducing the height of the buildings to 28 stories from 34; increasing the amount of community space; a commitment to have half of building employees be Harlem residents; outlining measurable goals for youth programs; and adopting a legally binding and enforceable community benefits agreement.
“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,” said Dixon, who nevertheless voted to approve the proposal with the conditions.
Community Concerns
Board secretary Brianna McClure, who voted against the One45 project, meanwhile asked, “What benefit do these community benefits — the MWBE and the youth centers — what justice does that do us if in the future, parents can’t afford to live here and, therefore, the children can’t live here?”
Delsenia Glover, second vice chair of the board, also voted against it, saying, “This is not an affordable housing plan, it’s a gentrification plan.”
Battle Over Percentages
As proposed, the One45 development would comprise two 34-story towers with 968 apartments, of which 291 would be income-restricted. That means rent for those units would be set based on a percentage of the city’s area median income (AMI), which is $127,000 for a family of three. Approximately 10% of apartments would be rented to people at 40% AMI, with the same percentage set aside for units rent at 80% and 120% AMI. About half of all the apartments are one-bedroom units.
The Controversial Vote
The contentious rejection vote, which included five abstentions and one recusal, came after an initial vote that resulted in a 17-17 tie with one abstention. One board member had urged their fellow members to vote in favor of the plan because a “no” vote would signal to other developers that they can’t build in Harlem, and that the board needed to pressure elected officials to fund more housing for working-class and middle-class New Yorkers.
A Long and Controversial Process
The community board vote was the first test for major work on the long-undeveloped site since 2022, when the area’s former City Council member vowed to block construction on as unaffordable to Harlem residents and forced the developer to withdraw an earlier proposal.
A Flashpoint for Neighborhood Change
The massive project by One45 developer Bruce Teitelbaum has become a flashpoint for residents concerned about neighborhood change in the historically Black neighborhood, which added 18,000 white residents and lost more than 10,000 Black residents between 2010 and 2020, according to census data.
Next Steps
Before the vote, Dixon reminded board members that the proposal has many checkpoints waiting along the Uniform Land Use Review Process. A 30-day review from Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson’s office is the next step in that process.
A Continuing Negotiation
“When our [Community Board] window is up, we’re done,” said Dixon, “But this negotiation is ongoing. It does not stop.”
Conclusion
The rejection of the One45 development is a major setback for the developer, but the battle is far from over. The Uniform Land Use Review Process has several more steps to go, and the developer may still have a chance to modify the proposal to meet the community’s concerns. As the negotiations continue, one thing is clear: the community will be a key player in shaping the future of this project.
FAQs
Q: What was the main reason for the community board’s rejection of the One45 development?
A: The main reason was the lack of specificity in the community benefits proposed by the developer, including measurable goals and targets.
Q: How many apartments were proposed in the One45 development?
A: The development proposed 968 apartments, of which 291 would be income-restricted.
Q: What was the area median income (AMI) for a family of three in the One45 proposal?
A: The AMI for a family of three was $127,000.
Q: What is the next step in the Uniform Land Use Review Process?
A: The next step is a 30-day review from Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson’s office.
