Developer Told to Listen to Residents Looking to Save Basketball Court

Developer Told to Listen to Residents Looking to Save Basketball Court

June 6, 2011

New buildings would mean the end of a basketball court on West 116th Street between Lenox and Fifth avenues.

 

By Jeff Mays

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

HARLEM — Community Board 10 wants to hear from neighbors before deciding whether to approve zoning changes for a developer planning to build two apartment buildings where a basketball court now stands.

L+M Development Partners plans a new 12-story residential 95-unit market-rate condo building with 20,000 feet of retail space on West 116th Street and a nine-story, 100-unit housing affordable housing rental building with 9,000 feet of community facility space on West 117th Street.

Both developments will be located between Lenox and Fifth Avenues.

Residents of 1482 Fifth Ave. told the board that the developer did not speak to them about the loss of thebasketball court and an adjacent parking lot.

"There has never been any communication with the tenants about the project," said Ade A. Rasul of the nearby mosque. "When you change the zoning this is not a minor issue."

One woman said the loss of the court would have a negative effect on area children, who she said were already at risk. She estimated that more than 100 children lived at 1428 Fifth Ave.

"You are pushing our children from the back yard into the street and into jail," said the woman who has lived at 1428 Fifth Ave. for 28 years.

Read more: http://www.dnainfo.com/20110606/harlem/developer-told-listen-residents-looking-save-basketball-court?utm_content=blackcotton212%40gmail.com&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=Developer%20Told%20to%20Listen%20to%20Residents%20Looking%20to%20Save%2E%2E%2E&utm_campaign=Jurors%20Believed%20Cops%20Were%20Guilty%20of%20Rape%2C%20But%20Lack%20of%20DNA%20Forced%20Acquittalcontent#ixzz1OX9YGaxb