In the latest blow to affordable housing in Yorkville, 34 residential affordable rental units at 355 East 86th Street are slated to be demolished and replaced with a 23-story luxury development. FRIENDS of the Upper East Side has reported extensively on this pattern of disappearing affordable housing– see for example this article in our most recent newsletter that details the  shocking loss of 14,438 affordable units on the Upper East Side between 2007 and 2020.

End of an era (Image: Ronda Wist)

The Yorkville neighborhood serves as a stark example of the city's housing crisis. As development-for-the-sake-of-development continues, it displaces relatively affordable housing and small businesses that ensure that our neighborhoods remain vibrant and inclusive. Yorkville risks losing its unique character, cultural heritage, and the long-time residents who can no longer afford to live here. We need affordable housing, not soulless monoliths!

It doesn’t have to be this way. Just across 86th street, on the southwest corner (1643 First Avenue), zoning was recently approved for a new 22-story building with 459 modestly-sized, residential units, including 20 percent affordable units. Although it displaced some low-rise tenement buildings, most of the block was occupied by a large, one-story grocery store. The example at 1643 First Avenue could be a better model for development as it includes a significant number of affordable housing units within a mixed-use building, demonstrating that new construction can incorporate social and economic benefits for the community beyond luxury residences.

To learn more about FRIENDS' stance on affordable housing, read our article about new developments and the loss of existing, relatively affordable housing on the Upper East Side.