NYC Archdiocese Plan Would Bring 600 Below-Market Units To LES

LOWER EAST SIDE, NY — The Archdiocese of New York City announced it would redevelop six properties in the Bronx and one on the Lower East Side into affordable housing — but left out plans to redevelop two closed East Village churches, Curbed reported.

Nearly 2,000 below-market-rate units are planned for properties owned by the Catholic Church — 600 of which will be sited at the Grand Street Guild at 157 and 179 Broome St., Curbed reported.

"The church is strongly committed to social justice and ensuring that having a home is a sacred human right," Cardinal Timothy Dolan said at Monday's ceremony for the redevelopment of St. Augustine Terrace in the Bronx to 112 low-income apartments.

But Monday's announcement left out plans for two shuttered East Village churches — which housing advocates have demanded be converted into low-income housing.

The Cooper Square Community Land Trust has called for the closed Church of St. Emeric, on East 13th St. between Aves. C and D, and the Church of the Nativity, at Second Ave. between 2nd and 3rd Sts., to be made into affordable housing, Curbed reported.

The project director at the Cooper Square Community Land Trust, Valerio Orselli, told Curbed, "We were not in anyway attacking the [St. Augustine’s] project, you know, we just felt it was sad they would concentrate properties in the South Bronx for such use, but try to maximize the value of their properties elsewhere."

The Trust is holding a town hall at Cooper Union May 6 at 6:30 p.m. regarding its proposal to partner with the Catholic Church on converting the shuttered churches into low-income housing.

For the full Curbed report, click here.