NEW YORK | Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea Houses Redevelopment | FT | FLOORS

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by swipyfox

all of NYCHA should be redeveloped. Atlanta and Chicago tore down/redeveloped all their projects, why not NYC?

NYC is much larger than those cities, and it's much more complex than that. And what goes on in other cities has no bearing on New York. People still live in the housing projects, and you would have to move them before you can tear down and replace. That's just one reason why this redevelopment is being phased in over time. It's not like they are going to bulldoze entire blocks.

The beautiful thing about what they are doing here is incorporating the housing projects into the built fabric of the city, rather than stand alone, "tower in the park" developments.

[NYguy]

https://commercialobserver.com/2025/08/nyc-housing-authority-related-401-west-19th-street/

NYC Housing Authority Partners With Related on New Chelsea Apartment Building





BY ISABELLE DURSO
AUGUST 4, 2025

The new york city housing authority (NYCHA) and Related Companies have teamed up on a new apartment building in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood.

Matthew Charney, vice president of design and construction at NYCHA, and Amanda Rekemeyer from Related filed plans last week to build a new 12-story, 217-unit residential building at 401 West 19th Street, according to a filing with the New York City Department of Buildings.

The proposed building between Ninth and 10th avenues would span 211,205 square feet and include 10,785 square feet of community facility space, the filing shows.

NYCHA filed a permit in late July to demolish the existing seven-story, 36-unit apartment building on the property, which was approved.

The project is part of the Permanent Affordability Commitment Together program, an initiative aiming to renovate NYCHA buildings while ensuring that homes remain affordable, according to NYCHA.

NYCHA selected Related and Essence Development in October 2024 for the redevelopment of the Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea Houses, which includes 401 West 19th Street, as Commercial Observer previously reported.

The redevelopment of both buildings calls for a total of 3,500 new mixed-income units on the campus, CO reported.

[NYguy]

It's a wonder anything gets done at all in the city...


https://www.archpaper.com/2025/09/nycha-fulton-elliott-chelsea-houses/

Why the demolition and privatization of NYCHA Fulton, Elliott, and Chelsea Houses in West Chelsea, Manhattan must be stopped


By Viren Brahmbhatt
September 5, 2025

City and federal officials say there’s no choice but to seek “creative” solutions to the New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA) alleged $78 billion funding deficit. Chief among them is RAD/PACT (Rental Assistance Demonstration/Permanent Affordability Commitment Together), a program that shifts the management of public housing into the hands of private or nonprofit developers. Supporters frame it as a lifeline. Critics say it’s privatization by design.

Nowhere is this tension more visible than in the proposed demolition and redevelopment of the Fulton, Elliott, and Chelsea Houses (FEC), a flagship RAD/PACT project in Manhattan’s West Chelsea neighborhood that dates back to 2019, and has since undergone myriad controversial revisions. The latest design—by Related Companies, Essence, Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU), COOKFOX, and ILA—has ignited fierce backlash from residents, housing scholars, and community advocates.

Renee Keitt, Elliott-Chelsea Houses Tenant Association president, and Layla Law-Gisiko, a district leader in Assembly District 75, recently spoke on NY1 about how elderly FEC residents have been issued 90-day notices to vacate their homes. With its soaring towers, full demolition of NYCHA buildings, and a unit mix dominated by market-rate apartments, the plan is seen by many as a top-down development strategy dressed up as revitalization.

NYCHA owns over 2,400 acres of land across the city—much of it underbuilt compared to the surrounding neighborhoods. In a real estate market as aggressive as New York’s, this public land is seen less as a public resource and more as a development opportunity. But former Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s framing of ‘filling in’ the ‘empty spaces’ on NYCHA campuses as an innocuous urban strategy fails to recognize the critical social and environmental functions these spaces serve.

NYCHA campuses have much higher density than typical urban blocks, and the open spaces and trees on these sites provide essential green infrastructure. These areas not only mitigate the urban heat island effect but also offer residents limited but vital access to nature and recreational space, contributing to their physical and mental well-being.

Through infill strategies and ground leases, NYCHA campuses are being opened up to private developers in exchange for promises: better buildings, greener designs, mixed-income units, and some level of affordability. But critics argue that what’s being offered is less a renewal and more a repackaging—a transfer of public land into private hands under the guise of modernization.

[NYguy]

https://www.cityrealty.com/nyc/market-in...begins-40-story-mixed-income-tower/69724

Chelsea’s NYCHA overhaul begins with 40-story mixed-income tower





By CityRealty Staff
October 4, 2025

In June 2025, permits were filed to demolish Chelsea Addition, a 14-story, 94-unit building at 441 West 26th Street that also houses the Hudson Guild Theater ("Hudson Guild") offices and childcare services. More recently, permits were filed for a new 40-story tower to rise in its place. Ismael Leyva Architects is the architect of record, and the permits call for a total of 481 housing units to start on top of a community facility, presumably new offices for Hudson Guild. Another new tower is set to rise next to it in the next phase of construction, and the buildings' ten-story wings will frame a common courtyard.

The units in the new building effectively replace the apartments in the buildings that are to be demolished in the first phase of construction. In addition to Chelsea Addition, the buildings at 420 West 26th Street, 415 West 25th Street, 288 Tenth Avenue, and 450 West 27th Street are set to be demolished. Residents received notices that they would have to move out within three months in late July 2025

A Bridge Plan promises immediate resources as well as improvements while the new buildings are underway. NYCHA is legally required to replace each unit "one-for-one," and displaced residents will retain their right to return. And as per the terms of PACT, all tenants' rights and rents will be preserved.

But not everyone is assuaged. Grassroots groups are protesting the new buildings, and The Daily News calls it "a cynical erasure of public process — and a warning shot for every public housing community in New York City." It should be noted that not all of the opposition is coming from Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea House residents; some opponents are locals who aren't eager for the construction. Incidentally, the complexes are located near some of New York City's most expensive real estate.

Sentiment is divided among the residents who will be most directly affected by the project. Some say that between issues like heat and hot water outages, elevator outages, and mold, sparkling new doorman buildings with dishwashers and washer-dryers can't come soon enough. Others are afraid of losing the communities they've cultivated in their building when they move.
And still others, some of whom are senior citizens or speak little English, are confused about what's going on.

However, PACT projects are underway throughout the city without adverse effects to residents. One success story may be found at Harlem River Houses, one of the United States' first federally funded housing developments built for African Americans. Comprehensive improvements include facade repairs, sustainability upgrades, updated elevators and infrastructure, and apartments renovated with new floors, lighting, and appliances. New playgrounds were added to the central courtyard, and a historic fountain and public art were restored. The improvements have led to enhanced quality of life for residents and a 2025 Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award.

[NYguy]

https://www.6sqft.com/judge-temporarily-halts-demolition-of-nycha-complex-in-chelsea/

Judge temporarily halts demolition of NYCHA complex in Chelsea


By Aaron Ginsburg
February 24, 2026

A plan to demolish two Chelsea public housing complexes and replace more than 2,000 units has been temporarily halted after a judge issued a restraining order Thursday. Judge Margaret Chen issued the stay on the New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA) Fulton and Chelsea-Elliot Houses, part of a plan to replace 18 buildings and create 2,500 market-rate units across the two complexes, as The City reported. The order comes after a group of tenants successfully appealed to stop the project, which NYCHA approved in October 2024, following the dismissal of their initial lawsuit last month.

Developed by Related Companies and Essence Development, the project would replace all 2,056 existing homes with six new buildings across both campuses. It also calls for roughly 3,500 mixed-income apartments, including about 1,000 permanently affordable units.

Under the plan, most current residents would remain in their homes while the new buildings are constructed, moving into their new apartments in phases over the next seven years. About 120 tenants—including those in a senior building—would need to relocate temporarily until their new units are ready.

The developers have guaranteed that current NYCHA residents would receive new units on a “one-to-one” basis, at the same rent-capped rate, in any of the new buildings. As Chelsea News notes, if all displaced residents opt for units in the new development, it would require building 2,000 additional apartments—bringing the total to more than 5,000 new units.

The new apartments would feature resident-controlled heating and ventilation, dishwashers, and in-unit washers and dryers. Buildings would also include common areas, multi-purpose community spaces, rooftop access, and lobby attendants, as 6sqft previously reported.

On-site community resources, including healthcare facilities, community centers, grocery and retail stores, and outdoor recreation spaces, would also be included.

Last year, a group of tenant advocates led by State Sen. Tom Duane sued to halt the project, arguing that it violates a 2010 state law he helped pass, which he says prohibits developers from building any market-rate units on the site. Opponents also claim the plan improperly bypassed the city’s uniform land use review process.

The plaintiffs’ demand was rejected in January by Supreme Court Justice David Cohen. After they appealed, the appellate division’s ruling has now temporarily halted the project while the case is resolved.

Another major point of contention is the project’s cost. NYCHA and Related estimate it would cost about $2 billion, roughly the same as repairing the existing housing stock. Advocates, however, argue the true price tag is closer to $2.4 billion and claim that repairs would cost less than the $2 billion estimate.

Plans to demolish the two complexes have circulated for years, but only recently gained majority support from residents as conditions have continued to deteriorate. Tenants frequently report leaks, mold, heating issues, broken elevators, and other problems.

A survey previously conducted by NYCHA and the developers found that about 30 percent of eligible residents, roughly 950 people, responded, with 60 percent of respondents expressing support for the redevelopment plan.

The project is part of the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program, which transfers management of public housing buildings to private developers. In return for financing millions of dollars in critical upgrades, developers collect rent payments while the agency retains ownership.

Since 2017, RAD has encompassed more than 40,000 units, including the Fulton and Chelsea-Elliot complexes, as NYCHA works to address decades of neglect and mismanagement that have left tenants in deteriorating conditions, as reported by The City.

[Busy Bee]

One step closer to snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

One step closer to snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

I don't understand people. Even with the prospect of getting something much better, some would prefer business as usual if it means not going through change. But yet, will continue to complain about the current state of affairs.

[mrnyc]

now, now.

let them air out their gas.

we all know the public process is far more tortured than the private route.

patience.

[NYguy]

https://citylimits.org/nycha-can-move-ahead-with-chelsea-redevelopment-court-decides/

NYCHA Can Move Ahead With Chelsea Redevelopment, Court Decides


BY SUNNY NAGPAUL
July 14, 2026

Plans to demolish and rebuild 2,000 public housing apartments in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood are back on again, after a court lifted a nearly four-month long temporary restraining order Thursday.

The decision is the latest in a yearslong dispute over the project, in which the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and Related Companies, the same developer behind Hudson Yards, plan to demolish the aging buildings that make up the Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea Houses and replace them with all-new apartments.

All residents have a right to one of the replacement units, officials say, and most will stay in their current homes while the new ones are built nearby. But the project also calls for a senior-only building to be demolished first—and all of its residents to temporarily relocate in the process, moves that have been a source of contention in an ongoing fight over the redevelopment plans.

The appellate court paused the project in February after some residents and petitioners—including former State Sen. Tom Duane—filed a lawsuit claiming it did not clear the usual city and land regulations required.

The court has now lifted that pause, citing in its decision that “while relocation may be inconvenient and difficult, particularly for seniors, petitioners have not demonstrated that it rises to the level of irreparable harm.”

“It is undisputed that the tenants have been guaranteed appropriate and accessible relocation apartments, units in the new buildings once complete, and packing and moving assistance,” the decision reads.

The redevelopment project at Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea Houses involves demolishing all 18 public housing buildings to replace them with six taller towers, all for public housing residents, while also constructing 2,500 market-rate and 1,000 affordable apartments.

Most of the new construction would be completed before the old buildings are demolished, which allows the majority of residents to remain in their units until their new apartments are move-in ready. The first replacement buildings are expected to be ready in 2028 and 2029, according to the plans.

But residents in two buildings, including a senior-only residence called Chelsea Addition, have been asked to leave their apartments and relocate temporarily to new ones nearby to make room for the construction.

Miguel Acevedo, a 65-year-old resident of the Fulton Houses who’s lived there most of his life, told City Limits that for him, the court’s decision to lift the pause was “long-awaited.”

“The proposal that’s being placed here is probably the best thing that’s ever happened to public housing,” he said. “We know that the New York City Housing Authority doesn’t have the money to maintain these buildings, they’re in an $80 billion deficit. So why not bring in private developers to manage these buildings so they can maintain them correctly?”

But others are resistant. A group of residents and community members formed a coalition in protest of the project. One of the members, Yu Zhen Story, a resident of the Chelsea Addition building who turns 80 years old this week, said in a statement that she and her elderly neighbors are stressed about the prospect of moving twice while construction unfolds.

“Some of my neighbors are older than 90,” she said in a statement released after the court’s ruling Thursday. “We want to find a place to rest for the end of our lives.”

[Busy Bee]

Great news.