At Long Last, the Artists Are Arriving in East Harlem

Lately, East Harlem's march toward gentrification has been more of a stroll. Neighborhood development deflated due to financing troubles, hipsters fled to the UES, and the much-anticipated East River Plaza didn't quite meet local expectations. But now, a sign that East Harlem's gentrification is back on track: artists! Archpaper reports that Artspace, a non-profit, is turning the abandoned P.S. 109 into artist affordable housing (rendered above). Specifically, 72 one- to three-bedroom units, 60 percent of them for neighborhood residents. The building's financing comes from the Ford Foundation, so the money troubles that have plagued other new projects shouldn't be an issue here.
This is what the Artspace team has to work with:

· Arts on the Rise [Archpaper]