'Dream' Housing For Poor Set To Open
From 30 years ago: Long in the making, a unique subsidized housing project finally opened its doors.
East Harlem — Introduction: When the Taino Towers in East Harlem were unveiled in 1979, the community had high hopes. "Majestic" is how City Limits described the federally funded towers – “dream housing” for the poor. Thirty-five story high rises with balconies and facades of glass and white concrete, they stood in stark contrast to the brown-brick Wagner public housing projects across Second Avenue. The Towers were to feature not only unusual perks for affordable housing, such as high ceilings, but also a range of stores and services on the bottom floors. When the City Limits article was published in Feb. 1979, there were plans to include a swimming pool, an amphitheatre and classrooms for community use.
So, three decades later, has the dream been realized?
Yes and no. The Taino Towers suffer today from some of the same problems that often dog subsidized housing. Many residents complained about elevator service and maintenance, with one recalling that over the summer, when a resident died, the body had to be carried down the stairs. And some of the more ambitious projects described in the original article were never finished or have not been properly maintained.
Ellie Sanchez, CEO of the Boriken Neighborhood Health Center, which is located in the complex, laments that the planned pool and a small theatre were never completed. “The dream was there but it never materialized because of lack of funding,” she said. According to Maria Cruz, executive director of Taino Towers, the complex’s Red Carpet Theatre is also currently in need of general repairs.
In other ways, however, today’s Towers achieve what was hinted at in the 1979 article. Resident Shenette Taylor, a mother of six who lives with her husband in a three-bedroom apartment, routinely gets her teeth cleaned at the Boriken center’s dental clinic. And she recently attended a Christmas party at the Towers’ Magic Johnson Computer Learning Center, where one of her daughters received a free toy doctor’s set, complete with a stethoscope. According to Sanchez, the health center, which also provides women’s services, pediatrics and diabetes care in both Spanish and English, attracts Latino patients from as far away as Queens, New Jersey and even the Caribbean.
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Like the Reagan quote: "I'm from the government and I'm here to help!"
ReplyDeleteThe government/politicians can't deliver what they promise.
It's going to take American capitalism to get invested downtown to make it happen. A business HAS to make money, much different than the business of government.
In election years they try to take all the federal and state feebee's and actually call it progress. I hope they don't consider it an acomplishment.
I bet those magic beans don't sow that beanstalk you were expecting. No thanks Jim
I bet those magic beans don't sow that beanstalk you were expecting. No thanks Jim
ReplyDeleteJuly 24, 2012 1:56 PM
I know you're trying to be clever, but magic beans cannot sow a beanstalk or anything else.
Sow means to plant.
progressives have been doing this for years. Look what they did to all the great cities...they DESTROYED poor neighborhoods and forced people to move into the "projects"..and told them it was for their own good. So poorer, but stable, neighborhoods that had their own stores, churches, and schools were utterly devastated so that rich white liberals could feel good about themselves. Think about all the cites you used to visit as a kid- what happened to all the fun ethnic parts of that city? Ruined by white liberals. Force 'em into a slum....by God, is wasn't the Republicans of the 1950's and 1960's who built the projects. It was the do-gooder liberals of the time.
ReplyDeleteWhat chance does a poor kid have growing up in a project? NONE. Jim Ireton is worse than a fool- if he really believes in his project, he is cooperating with EVIL.
3:30 I agree 100%
ReplyDeleteOMG let me change that to "Reap" Chuck, don't get your thong all in a wad
ReplyDelete4:53 PM
ReplyDeleteMagic beans can't 'reap' either.
You just don't get it do you?
Affordable housing is not a dirty word. When it is well done, especially by a non-profit with experience in project management and a reputable management team. However, Jim Ireton is using this to create more hoopla around his campaign of misinformation and doing favors for his friends.
ReplyDeleteShouldn't I be getting a "thank you" these people? I paid for their Manhattan lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteI was gonna comment, but the Grammer Police are here...
ReplyDeleteIt's grammar, anonymous.
ReplyDeleteIs it really that hard for some of you to speak and write correctly?
Everybody makes mistakes. Is it better to correct mistakes or let them go and make the sender seem stupid?
I worked in the office of the secy of HUD in the mid 1970's when they were trying to build Taino Towers. I worked late many nights with my boss trying to justify all the fixing of the vandalism that was occurring while trying to complete this project. New windows and doors would go in only to be broken out, new paint would be scared with graffiti. At the time my boss, who was a lawyer under the sexy, could not see the justification into pouring millions of dollars into a housing project for the needy, only to have them destroy it before it was completed. I left D.C in 1977 and at that time the whole project was at a standstill! From my experience, people take more pride in their possessions that they worked for and paid for themselves. Joe, I really think that you maybe should post some pictures of some section 8 housing in the area. I'm sure you probably won't be able to get inside them. But then again, section 8 housing is inspected on a regular bases and the landlord is responsible for all repairs to damages that the tenants have done.
ReplyDelete