Community Board in Uproar Over River-to-River Rezoning Plan

Members of Manhattan’s Community Board 10 voiced their concerns about the New York City Planning Commission’s proposed “river-to-river” rezoning of 125th Street at a meeting last night held in the Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building.

In front of packed audience—some were even turned away as the room was filled to capacity—and just after business about a new residential development on Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard, community board members heard a presentation from Jabari Osaze, community board second vice chair and chair of the land use subcommittee, regarding the city’s proposed rezoning.

Despite lacking a quorum to vote on the plan, Osaze outlined the plans that the city has proposed which would overhaul one of Manhattan’s most well-known thoroughfares, creating new housing and retail space from the Hudson to the East River.

“We like about 80 percent of this plan, but there is about 20 percent that we have grave concerns about,” Osaze said.

The presentation was followed by additional commentary on the plan from community board member Nicolette Witcher, who noted that under the current plan new developments would dwarf Harlem’s historic Hotel Teresa, blocking light to the street.

Among other planned changes, the City Planning Commission would limit storefront width to 100 feet, to discourage “big box stores”—larger national retailers—from occupying new storefronts. In addition, the community board recommended that no building be allowed to dwarf the Hotel Teresa, limiting new developments to 160 feet in height.

Additional restrictions would increase the width of the sidewalks and prevent new buildings from encroaching on the amount of light at the street level.

Despite the positive assessment of the plan provided by Osaze, many community members saw the plan as an attempt to destroy their community and “bleach over our history.”

“125th Street isn’t broken; why change it?” CB10 member Beatrice Sibblies said.
Among other concerns voiced about the plan was that the new development would destroy the low-rise architecture of the neighborhood, and force out local business owners who had seen the area through the economic depression of the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s.

“We’re not looking to move 42nd Street uptown,” community board member Katwy Heru said. “It [125th street] is the center of black America, if not the world.”

Although general resistance to the city’s plan characterized the meeting, there was one individual who proposed an alternative. Local resident and Harlem historian Michael Adams addressed the crowd, claiming that only 10 percent of landmarked buildings in Manhattan are north of 125th Street, which is not representative of the historic nature of Harlem.

Amid cheers of “Preach on, brother,” Adams mentioned that the only way to stop the developers was to form a landmarks committee, and to preserve the character of the neighborhood.

Otherwise, Adams added, “African Americans will be forced out of our community.”

Alex Peacocke can be reached at alex.peacocke@columbiaspectator.com.