We’ve been busting the Pratt Area Community Council’s chops the last few weeks over the organization’s decision to tear down the derelict but nevertheless salvageable brownstone at 483 Washington in Clinton Hill (shown post-demo above). The lot has quite a bit of usable FAR that PACC decided, on balance, made it worthwhile to demo and start from scratch on a new building. We’re glad that Deb Howard, PACC’s director, took time to weigh in with a lengthy comment and set everyone straight, ourselves included, on a few misconceptions about PACC’s identity, track record and mission. The entirety of her statement is below:

PACC is a community-based organization in existence since 1964 serving Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, and Bedford Stuyvesant and preserving and developing affordable housing since 1980. We are not affiliated with Pratt Institute or Pratt Center. We have two offices located at 201 Dekalb and 1224 Bedford Avenues.

Since 1980 we have developed 62 rental properties and 19 homes as well as sponsoring 430 units of NYC Housing Partnership Homes, 8 low-income tenant cooperatives (71-73 Clifton, 126 Cambridge are examples) and a 12 unit condominium project at 233 Greene. We began by gut rehabbing vacant city-owned buildings as rental properties for low-income tenants and then occupied city-owned buildings, temporarily moving the tenants out and moving them back. Some examples of these buildings in Clinton Hill are 41-43 Clifton Place, 236 and 250 Greene, 501 and 155 Clinton. We also have renovated HUD foreclosed properties an example being 218 St. James and 277 Gates and previously city-owned homes at 241, 282 and 288 St. James and 55 Putnam.

Until now, we have never torn down a building…

What A Difference A Week Makes [Brownstoner]

…and in fact we have renovated buildings with no back wall, no roofs etc. For example, 218 Gates Avenue which was mentioned, the whole facade fell down two weeks after we bought it and we restored it to its former glory, winning the NYS Historic Preservation Award in 2005. We have always believed that low-income and mixed income housing should look as beautiful as any other and that our architectural heritage should be preserved.

Now as to our plans for 483 Washington which has been torn down. This property was foreclosed on for real estate taxes owed to NYC through the Third Party Transfer Program. Neighborhood Restore, a holding corporatiion for the city, assumed ownership in 2002 and PACC as the designated transferee began to manage it in 2003. What we found were 4 SRO tenants living in horrible conditions. There had been a fire on the top floor so the roof was open, refrigerators, toilets and tubs had fallen through to the floors below. No heat, jumped electricity, and garbage filled the basement and first floor. We therefore moved the tenants to fully renovated studio apts. in our management portfolio and sealed the building. Yes, there was one individual living in the SUV out front whom we tried to convince to move to proper shelter, had neighbors speaking to him and social workers from Black Vets for Social to no avail. The actual purchase of the property was delayed until late last month but we are now in a position to move forward with the project.

It was a hard decision for us to tear this building down but in this market of escalating prices and mounting development costs with very little available land, we made the decision to maximize the use of the 50′ x 135′property. With the onslaught of gentrification, we are trying to provide housing for existing residents to remain in this community many of whom are seeking affordable homeownership opportunities. We therefore are building a 16 unit comdonmium in partnership with a private developer using no government subsidies, eight units will be affordable and eight units market rate. We will begin marketing soon and have two community information sessions which will be posted on our website. The building will be a six story brick construction which we believe will fit well architecturally with the other apartment buildings on the block.

Regarding 418 to 422 Classon Avenue. We successfully completed the purchase of 422 Classon Avenue last month. The three buildings will be preserved (not torn down)and by utilizing several sources of grants and subsidies including the NYC Landmarks Conservancy will become 12 affordable condominium units with all the historic detail restored. We are very excited about having this opportunity to preserve these wonderful buildings which were HUD foreclosed properties and should begin construction in July or August. 418 and 420 Classon were part of a cluster of 13 HUD and HPD brownstone properties purchased by PACC in April 2005 (not six years ago) which will also be substantially renovated as affordable homeownership opportunities during this coming year. Again, please check our website for marketing information at www.prattarea.org or call (718) 522-2613 x 10 to get on our mailing list for affordable homes or apartments.

Lastly, thank you to those who have supported PACC in the above dialog and I hope I have responded to all of the comments and issues raised. If you have any further questions please feel free to email me at the above address.

Deb Howard