
Rendering of Proposed La Hermosa Building with Modifications/Image Credit: Department of City Planning/CPC
The proposed building would house the redeveloped La Hermosa Church, community facilities, and residential units. On October 15, 2019, the City Planning Commission voted to approve an application to develop a new 29-story tower-on-a-base mixed-use building at 5 West 110th Street in Harlem, Manhattan. The site is currently occupied by La Hermosa Church, a three-story brick throughway building, and the church’s parking lot. To facilitate the new 226,000 square feet development, the applicants would propose to demolish the existing church building. The project would redevelop La Hermosa Church and build a music hall, music school, and approximately 160 housing units. The Church is the project applicant and site owner.
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The First Hungarian Reformed Church. Image Credit: NYC LPC
The 103-year-old church still serves the same congregation. On January 22, 2019, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to calendar the First Hungarian Reformed Church for landmarks designation consideration. The church, located at 346 East 69th Street between First and Second Avenues, was built in 1915 and designed by architect Emery Roth. The First Hungarian Reformed Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 31, 2000. (read more…)

According to the Office of Special Enforcement, all of the units at 200 East 116th Street were converted into illegal short term rentals. Image Credit: Google Maps
The lawsuit claims that at least 130 apartments were converted into illegal short-term rentals. On January 14, 2019, the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement announced that it filed a lawsuit against several defendants for converting apartments in 35 residential buildings into illegal short-term rentals through websites like Airbnb. The defendants include Metropolitan Property Group (MPG), five current or former MPG employees and 18 associated corporate entities. The lawsuit was filed on January 14, 2019, in New York State Supreme Court. (read more…)

Houses on West 217th Street from the proposed historic district. Image Credit: NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission
Community voiced support of preservation of suburban character after neighborhood rezoning earlier this year. On November 20, 2018, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a public hearing on the proposed designation of the Park Terrace West-West 217th Street Historic District in the Inwood section of Manhattan. The Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to calendar the proposed historic district on September 25, 2018. For CityLand’s prior coverage of the Park Terrace West designation process, click here. (read more…)

Houses on West 217th Street demonstrate the suburban character of the proposed historic district. Image Credit: NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission
The proposed historic district highlights homes with suburban characteristics rarely found in Manhattan. On September 25, 2018, the Landmarks Preservation Commission unanimously voted to calendar the proposed Park Terrace West-West 217th Street Historic District in the Inwood section of Manhattan. The proposed historic district consists of fifteen houses along West 217th Street between Park Terrace West and Park Terrace East and along Park Terrace West between West 215th Street and West 218th Street. (read more…)

Image credit: New York City Office of the Comptroller
On April 2018, New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer issued a report on the impact of Airbnb on City rents. The report looked at how the home-sharing company impacted rent in the City over the period of 2009 to 2016. The report found that rental rates increases during this time period can be attributed to Airbnb. (read more…)