Tonight: Tell Manhattan CB 7 Affordable Housing Is More Valuable Than Parking

An affordable housing developer wants to expand the Valley Lodge transitional homeless shelter and build new apartments on the sites of three parking garages between Amsterdam Avenue and Columbus Avenue on W. 108th Street. Photo: Google Maps
An affordable housing developer wants to expand the Valley Lodge transitional homeless shelter and build new apartments on the sites of three parking garages between Amsterdam Avenue and Columbus Avenue on W. 108th Street. Photo: Google Maps

Tonight Manhattan Community Board 7 will take up an application to replace city-owned parking garages with affordable housing on W. 108th Street between Amsterdam and Columbus avenues.

The plan to add 280 housing units to the area is opposed by a group of residents calling itself “Save Manhattan Valley,” which is doing its best to engender outrage over the potential loss of 675 parking spots in a transit-rich part of the city where 80 percent of households are car-free.

Opponents want underground parking built along with the new housing — an unrealistic demand that would increase construction costs by tens of millions of dollars.

This project is unlikely to happen without support from City Council members Mark Levine and Helen Rosenthal. It’s important that council reps and the community board hear from people who value housing for people more than storage for automobiles.

If you can’t make it tonight, a second meeting is scheduled for November 20. CB 7 is also accepting input at office@cb7.org.

Here are this week’s highlights from the Streetsblog calendar. Check the full calendar for more info on these and other events.

  • Today: Manhattan CB 7 hosts a meeting on a proposal to build affordable housing on W. 108th Street. Goddard Riverside Community Center, 593 Columbus Avenue. 5:30 – 9:30 p.m.
  • Tuesday: Join Transportation Alternatives PeopleWay advocates for SandyWeen, a costumed walk and ride commute to demand a people-first solution to the L train shutdown. 7:45 a.m. Meet-up locations and other details here.
  • Wednesday: Crain’s will hold a City Council speaker debate. New York Athletic Club, 180 Central Park South. 8 a.m. More info here.

Watch the calendar for updates. Drop us a line if you have an event we should know about.

  • Vooch

    I lived a couple of blocks away from this site for many years.

    There is plenty of free curbside parking in the nieghborhood.

  • KeNYC2030

    Last night I heard that people who have lived in the neighborhood for decades will be forced to move if the garages are demolished.

  • Jim

    Why, do they live in the garage?

  • What happened at this meeting? I haven’t seen any reporting about it.

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