Several hundred members of the community turned out on Sept. 17, at a public meeting to determine the scope of the environmental review for the proposed 20-story Jewish Home Lifecare project on 97th St. between Amsterdam and Columbus. The site of the proposed project is next to PS 163. The New York State Department of Health, the only state agency with discretionary power, will serve as the lead agency for the environmental review.
This was the first time that community members had the opportunity to register their specific concerns on the environmental impacts of the proposed development.
The proposed building will be up to 280 feet high and will take about 31 months to construct, starting in 2014. It will have space for 414 residents (100 fewer residents than in Jewish Home Lifecare’s current facilities on 106th St) and would replace an 88-space resident parking lot for Park West Village. It would have 8,700 square feet of community open space.
According to JHL representatives, their current facility is outdated. The new facility will include several floors in the greenhouse model, that is, rooms around a core that includes dining and recreational space.
The community and representatives of elected officials cited the following concerns:
The community, as represented at the meeting, was not in favor of the project.
-- Sue Maderer
This was the first time that community members had the opportunity to register their specific concerns on the environmental impacts of the proposed development.
The proposed building will be up to 280 feet high and will take about 31 months to construct, starting in 2014. It will have space for 414 residents (100 fewer residents than in Jewish Home Lifecare’s current facilities on 106th St) and would replace an 88-space resident parking lot for Park West Village. It would have 8,700 square feet of community open space.
According to JHL representatives, their current facility is outdated. The new facility will include several floors in the greenhouse model, that is, rooms around a core that includes dining and recreational space.
The community and representatives of elected officials cited the following concerns:
- Size of the project on a small lot: 20 stories is very high for that lot.
- 97th is already a busy crosstown street with two schools and health center currently on the street. The street is over-crowded and noisy now.
- Lead found in the parking lot that would have to be removed. Noise and dust created by the project would affect the neighbors.
- PS163 does not have air conditioners so windows must remain open. That means dust and pollutants would enter the classrooms, affecting students and learning, especially those with asthma.
- Park View West’s open space has been chipped away despite original intentions to have space for residents.
The community, as represented at the meeting, was not in favor of the project.
-- Sue Maderer
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