Opposed to the 701 West 135th Street Project

[Carolyn Brown]

To Councilmember Abreu,

I am your constituent and a longtime resident of CB9.

I oppose the 701 W 135th project  for a number of reasons including the proposed structure will change the character of this area as a location of classic town houses and a view of the Hudson River. Additionally I am opposed to this rezoning because…

● A residential development over active Amtrak tracks adjacent to the 6-lane Henry Hudson Highway subjects its potential residents to multiple health and safety risks, such as air and noise pollution and vibrations. It is an example of 'environmental racism' in exposing residents to these various harmful conditions. 

● building residential housing in a proven flood zone negates all the climate science outlined by the NYC Panel on  Climate Change.

● the developer, Castellan Real Estate Partners, is a landlord who harasses and evicts our Spanish-speaking neighbors.

● blocking the 135th Street open river view from the public park and shading the area from 135-137th Street and replacing that view with the 7-story building would compound all the existing environmental and social injustices (e.g. Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Transfer Station at 134th St, the DSNY waste transfer station at 135th st, and the North  River Sewage Treatment plant between 138-145th streets) already in this area, which is designated an NYC Environmental Justice Area.

●  such a narrow building creates a wall that would block airflow,  especially needed in the surrounding area because it is categorized in the higher risk range on NYC's Heat Vulnerability Index.

● there are many other locations in West Harlem could be developed for new housing.

● What we need is a development that serves everyone in this neighborhood, such as a food court, restaurants, wifi work centers, entertainment and cultural venues, and cafes.

Please vote NO on the rezoning of this area and respect my and the Community Board's multiple votes in opposition to a residential project at this site. Instead, encourage the Site Owner to work with the community to develop a better proposal for this site that would benefit the community rather than adversely affecting it.

Carolyn A. Brown Phd

Co-President West 147th Street Block Association

Respectfully,

[Your name & address]