Borinquen Court’s Main Entrance. Image credit: West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing, Inc.

West Side Federation will build new units adjacent to an existing, low-income residential building and add additional community and commercial space.  On August 13, 2015, the City Council approved West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure application to build a development around the pre-existing Borinquen Court building, which is a low-income residential building geared towards senior citizens and physically-disabled individuals.  The development would be located in Council District 8—represented by Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito—on property bounded by Third Avenue, Alexander Avenue, 138th Street, and 139th Street in the Mott Haven neighborhood of the Bronx.  The additions would yield a three-winged structure with Borinquen Court at the center, a 122-unit building attached to its west end, and a 56-unit building attached to its east end.

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Councilmember Corey Johnson at a Stated Meeting of the New York City Council. Image credit: William Alatriste/New York City Council

Privately-owned open space will be converted into a new City park that includes an aptly-placed Aids memorial across the street from the former-Saint Vincent’s Hospital.  On August 13, 2015, the City Council approved West Village Residences, LLC and the Department of Parks and Recreation’s application to transfer ownership of WVR-owned open space to the City and officially map the space as City parkland.  The open space is bounded by Seventh Avenue South, West 12th Street, and Greenwich Avenue, and its main feature will be New York’s largest AIDS memorial.  The park officially opened on August 21st, and the AIDS memorial is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

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Councilmember Donovan Richards. Image credit: William Alatriste/NYC Council

The Council member previously chaired the Committee on Environmental Protection.  On July 20, 2015 the City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises was held for the first time with new committee chair Council member Donovan Richards.  Council member Richards was elected to the Council in 2013 from the 31st Council District, representing southeast Queens and the Rockaways.  He was voted in as chair on June 26 to replace Council member Mark Weprin after Weprin resigned his seat to take a position with Governor Andrew Cuomo.

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