Friday, February 5, 2010

Bushwick Scarano building to become halfway house

From the Times Newsweekly:

Apartments in the 8-unit building located at 979 Willoughby Ave., at the corner of Evergreen Avenue, went on the market in 2007 with listed prices as high as $668,000. But the luxury apartments—designed by Scarano Architects and constructed by Vintage Builders—have remained unsold, and rather than seek renters for the apartments, the owners have reportedly contracted to operate a halfway house at the location.

“The wonderful condominium that was built on the corner of our block was turned into a halfway house without our knowledge,” said Evette Villafane, a long time resident of Evergreen Avenue. “We have a day care center next door. We have drug spots in the area. This is the last place we should be putting this kind of facility.”

Villafane believed that the halfway house was being run by an organization called the Gelzer Foundation, which has come under fire in Bedford-Stuyvesant for opening a supportive housing unit at 332 Malcolm X Blvd. without first notifying the community.


It couldn't have happened to a more beautiful building...

Here's what they were saying about it 3 years ago.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

it probably will house the convicted n.y.c. politicians when they get their early releases.

Anonymous said...

Look out Long Island City and Dutch Kills and Astoria.

heh heh heh

Citynoise said...

correct me if im wrong, but isnt the "halfway house" thats locating there relocating from approximately a half a block away up willoughby ave, where its been since the 70s or 80s?

no one complained then. moving 350 feet down the road isnt such a big deal, eh? ;)

Anonymous said...

Stunning. Absolute crap. Classic design. Embodies the whole nine-year-old-boy-notebook-doodle school of architecture we have come to call "standard."

Anonymous said...

to Citynoise, that was originally a nursing home and yes in the last 4 years was used as a homeless shelter but it was not a LUXURY CONDIMINUM which this. These residents are being rewarded for their bad behavior. Why not have a family shelter, or rented out as affordable housing. The building you are talking about is better suited for the halfway house.