Rendering of the Eliza. Image Credit: HPD

The new Eliza project will bring 174 affordable homes and a state-of-the-art public library to the Inwood community. On June 10, 2021, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development announced the Eliza, a mixed use development featuring affordable housing and a public library, and education space, located at 4790 Broadway in Inwood. The project has been fully financed and is moving forward.

The Eliza project will offer many assets including 174 affordable apartments, The 14-story building will include a mix of studio, one, two, and three bedroom apartments that will be affordable to low income households at up to 60 percent area median income. Ten percent of the units will be reserved for households earning up to 30 percent area median income, and another fifteen percent of the units will be reserved for formerly homeless tenants. The building’s amenities include a lounge for tenants, a terrace, a rooftop garden, a bike room, a laundry room and an exercise area.

The new library will replace the existing one in order to meet the new modern needs of patrons. The new and improved 20,000 square foot two-story layout features a variety of flexible spaces for classes and programs and dedicated spaces for kids, teenagers, and adults. The new library also includes new amenities like internet/Wi-Fi access, new technology, and new circulating materials. The library will have temporary access throughout its construction at 4857 Broadway. The location will be open to patrons to pick up or drop off books. The location plans to eventually offer computer use, reader advisories, and other services currently unavailable due to COVID-19 safety protocols.

The project will also include a 6,800 square foot Universal Pre-Kindergarten space, and a 10,000 square foot ACTS community facility space, and around 2,135 square feet of flexible classroom space dedicated to STEM fields. The Universal Pre-K will be operated by the Department of Education.

The Eliza is named after Eliza Hamilton, the wife of Alexander Hamilton. The building will be developed by the Community League of Heights, the Children’s Village, Ranger Properties, the Alembic Community Development, and the Housing Workshop.  The Eliza project resulted from a partnership between City Agencies, the New York Public Library, and the Robin Hood group. The library is expected to open in 2023.

Department of Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Louise Carroll stated, “Through YOUR Home NYC, this administration strives to pair affordable housing with neighborhood assets that will help residents and the community at large thrive. We are pleased to be working with The New York Public Library, Robin Hood and our partners in development and City government to bring 174 affordable homes, a revamped public library, and Universal Pre-K to the Inwood neighborhood.”

CLOTH Executive Director Yvonne Stennett stated, “The Community League of the Heights thanks its partners on the Eliza development team and looks forward to working closely with the community as the project moves forward. The project will create 174 units of affordable housing for the neighborhood- meeting a critical need for long-time, lower income households in the community- as well as a new, state-of-the-art library, a universal pre-k facility and support services for our neighbors in need.”

By: Patrick McNeill (Patrick is the CityLaw intern and a New York Law School student, Class of 2022.)