New York City Housing Authority and Related Companies’ plans for transforming a public housing site in West Chelsea are coming into focus.
NYCHA and Related filed plans for a 12-story building at 401 West 19th Street, the Commercial Observer reported. The plan for the 217-unit property was filed with the New York City Department of Buildings.
The building would span 211,000 square feet, including nearly 11,000 square feet for a community facility. NYCHA recently filed plans to demolish the seven-story, 36-unit building at the site, which were approved.
Plans to revamp the Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea Houses, which include the site in question, date back several years. A survey of NYCHA residents reported in 2023 found that more were in favor of tearing down and redeveloping the properties than simply rehabilitating them.
“The redevelopment plan puts NYCHA residents first, creating a more equitable living experience for them in Chelsea, inclusive of the modern amenities and accessibility features that many of their neighbors are accustomed to,” a NYCHA spokesperson said in a statement.
Representatives for the developers did not respond to a request for comment from the outlet.
In 2019, tenants rejected a proposal to demolish at least two of the public housing buildings, opting instead to have the developers renovate. But the cost of those renovations skyrocketed in the intervening years, pushing a full rebuild as a practical option.
The developers, which also include Essence Development, are tasked with replacing more than 2,000 public housing units. They will also construct retail and commercial space, as well as 3,500 mixed-income apartments; 1,000 of those will be put aside at affordable rates.
As of 2023, the project was expected to cost $1.5 billion.
New York City’s public housing authority has been under increased pressure to fill its empty units, which are more plentiful than previously believed. When including units being held for resident relocations within NYCHA, those that need substantial repairs and those being converted to community uses, the number of vacant units is greater than 8,600.
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