As the scaffolding at East Harlem's P.S. 109 is peeled down, the retrofitted school comes even closer to its second life as affordable housing for artists. Purchased by Minnesota-based Artspace in 2012 for $1 and co-developed by Operation Fightback, the building has undergone a $52.2 million makeover in part funded by $24 million in federal low-income housing tax credits, the Journal reports. The building will provide 90 apartments for artists, with at least half of the units reserved for inhabitants of East Harlem. Residents who are placed by the Department of Housing, Preservation & Development must demonstrate a commitment to art and living in an artistic community. Once chosen, residents can live in the subsidized housing in perpetuity. Rents will be based on percentages of the area's median income. The city has yet to announce income requirements and rents for the studio, one- and two-bedroom units. Apartments range in size from 500 square feet to 1,000 square feet.
P.S. 109 was closed in the 1990's after the building fell into disrepair. The revamp of the 1898 building, designed by Charles B.J. Snyder, saw the refurbishing of the exterior's buff bricks and Gothic-style gargoyles, and a thorough rebuilding of the decrepit interiors with often sustainable products like bamboo flooring.
· Affordable Housing Takes on a Different Look [WSJ]
· All P.S. 109 coverage [Curbed]
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