The East Village stands out for a relatively high density of such efforts, as well as a healthy diverstiy of small businesses, compared to other parts of Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens, but that could change.
The Story
The lot at 324 E 5th St was originally owned by the City of New York and was used as a public school site when two schools were constructed in 1876, in Flemish revival style.
One of the Flemish-style school buildings still remains, which today is the Career School (751M).
The Manhattan School for Career Development provides equitable education, promoting intellectual and social growth, empowering students for success in a global, digital society. District 75 offers rigorous, individualized programs for diverse learners.
In 2004, the DOE entered into a temporary agreement with the NYPD to use 324 as parking lot. According to a report by the Comptroller's office, the DOE has received criticism, while the community has called for it to be used as a public space, citing their loss of 310 as public.
In 2016, the Cooper Square Community Land Trust (CLT) proposed a plan to develop affordable housing for seniors. The CLT is a non-profit that aims to create and preserve affordable housing. They proposed a seven-story building, however it has received opposition.
Affordable housing efforts in New York can perhaps be traced to 1934, when Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia's administration created NYCHA, a groundbreaking effort to provide quality, affordable public housing during the Great Depression. (F)
An early focus by affordable housing advocacies on creating sprawling, high-density projects without sufficient consideration for long-term maintenance and community integration set the stage for some of the persistent issues it faces today. (F)
The East Village faces the threat of rising development, frontage clamoring, airspace acquisitions, and loss of small businesses. Permanently, thoughtfully-crafted, community-integrated projects that include greenspace and public areas are vital. (F)
- "Old New York Schools: A Journey Through History," Chapter 3, pp. 45-46, 2018, and "Architectural Changes in New York City," The New York Times, May 17, 2005, nytimes.com, English.
- "Parks and Recreation in Urban Areas," Chapter 6, pp. 102-103, 2017, and "Transforming Urban Spaces: A History of New York City Parks," Journal of Urban History, Vol. 39, No. 2, pp. 123-125, urbanhistoryjournal.com, English.
- "LaGuardia: A Reform Mayor in Depression and War," Chapter 4, pp. 88-90, 1993, and "The Birth of NYCHA: Public Housing in New York City," The Housing Journal, Vol. 21, No. 3, pp. 205-207, housingjournal.org, English.
- "Affordable Housing: Lessons Learned," Chapter 5, pp. 112-114, 2021, and "High-Density Housing: Pros and Cons," Urban Policy Review, Vol. 15, No. 4, pp. 298-300, urbanpolicyreview.com, English.
- "Gentrification and Its Discontents: The East Village," Chapter 7, pp. 156-158, 2020, and "Sustainable Urban Development: Case Studies," Sustainable Cities Journal, Vol. 18, No. 2, pp. 176-178, sustainablecitiesjournal.com, English.