Members of the Harlem community have denounced a developer’s plans to build a controversial truck depot, and the decision to prioritize profit over people’s health spews pollution into low-income communities of color. It warns that more large rigs will be sent in to exacerbate the environmental injustices already taking place in the neighborhood.
Real estate tycoon Bruce Teitelbaum is building a 32-story 32-story home on West 145th Street and Lenox Avenue with more than 900 homes (half of which are affordable) and a civil rights museum (affiliated with the Reverend Al Sharpton). I wanted a plan to build two buildings. — but after Harlem Council member Christine Richardson Jordan vowed to vote for the project, he withdrew his application for significant zoning changes.
Teitelbaum said the now-defunct mega-project One45 will instead build a truck warehouse in an area already overloaded with trucks, pollution and dangerous roads. Residents, especially children, suffer as a result. from more health-related problems and higher asthma rates compared to other parts of the city.
“People of color and low-income communities like Central Harlem already bear more than their fair share of pollution. It’s either a scare tactic designed to reopen, or a blatant act of environmental racism. Harlem doesn’t deserve this,” said Ronnie, environmental policy and advocacy coordinator for WE ACT for Environmental Justice. Portis said.
WE ACT member Jacqueline Gardner, who lives at nearby Fred Samuel’s House, similarly accused Teitelbaum of exposing herself and her neighbors to health problems as a result of increased truck traffic. .
“This is the black community,” she said. “We are not rich. Our children and the elderly are in great danger. We have already experienced many diseases, so inhaling these fumes is already burning. It is to add fuel to the fire.God help us.”
But Teitelbaum, who called the advocacy group’s comments “interesting”, said the depot was not proceeding for either of these reasons. I’m here.
“I accept [with the WE ACT statement], which is why it’s so puzzling to me. It’s amazing to me that they were completely silent,” Teitelbaum told his Streetsblog.
Teitelbaum says the current zoning — which he wanted to change — got him bogged down. The L-shaped lot is currently zoned to only allow “automotive and other heavy commercial services” and approximately 50 residential units.
Council member Jordan told Streetsblog that he believes a truly affordable housing project is still possible and that talks are still ongoing, but declined to provide further details. .
“I think there is still a lot of potential for real affordable housing projects on this site. It’s a real result,” said Jordan, encouraging them. Interested in attending a housing task force meeting in her office (information can be found here: www.kristininharlem.com /events)
She is now facing a challenge from Congressman Inez Dickens, who claims Jordan’s progressive politics are out of step with the neighborhood, The Post reported.
