LOWER MANHATTAN, July 12 – A controversy has been developing near the South Street Seaport, in which the NYC Department of Social Services is moving to open a men's shelter next door to the Pcck Slip school.
Inner City Press and its Downtown News Service went to investigate, and found what was previously a Hampton Inn hotel at 320 Pearl Street now empty, with brown paper on its windows.
It turns about the David Schwart's Slate Property Group, already subject to protest by tenants on the Upper West Side for radically raising their rents - threatening to make some homeless - bought the Hampton Inn in December 2023 for $24 million.
How is it more lucrative to turn it into a homeless shelter than run it as a hotel? And why is the City doing this plan, with a developer being protests by its existing tenants?
A Freedom of Information Law request has been filed - and on July 12 the City pushed its time to respond back to September 10:
"Dear Mr. Lee, I write in response to your request below, emailed July 7, 2024, seeking: All NYC contracts for homeless shelter at 320 Pearl Street … records regarding the (proposed?) "Safe Haven" homeless shelter at 320 Pearl Street, which David Schwartz' Slate Group reportedly bought in December 2023. [All records reflecting] …Was there an RFP process? [and] How was the community, including the Peck Slip school next door, consulted?
Please be advised that before a further response can be provided, the agency requires time to conduct a diligent search in order to locate available records and review what is found for responsiveness and releasability. Based on the overall volume of requests received by the agency as well as an initial review of the particular language of your request, including the volume of records requested, the type of records requested, the search methods involved and the potential need for redaction, the agency will respond further to your request on or before September 10, 2024. Thank you for your request, and please feel free to call or email with any questions or concerns. Sincerely, Avraham Schmeidler | FOIL Assistant OFFICE OF LEGAL AFFAIRS | Legal Process & Records Access Unit 150 Greenwich Street, 38th Floor, New York, NY 10007."
Watch this site.
***
Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron.
Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com
