East Harlem Photo Essay

Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, who has represented East Harlem since 2006, returns to private life—for now, anyway—on December 31.

A man holds a sign saying “No Re-Zoning = Equals No Affordable Housing, Economic Development, Workforce Training, Jobs-Jobs-Jobs!!! Open-Space, Recreation…Support the East Harlem Neighborhood Plan.”

Constituents line up to converse with East Harlem Councilmember and Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito at a public meeting at Taino Towers on Thursday, November 2nd.

An outline of the city’s East Harlem rezoning.

A scene from 2nd Avenue and 110th Street in East Harlem.

A direct action by the Justice Center en El Barrio disrupts the City Council hearing on the East Harlem rezoning, October 11, 2017.

The City Planning Commission, rightly expecting a large turnout for the East Harlem rezoning hearing and other matters, met at 1 Centre Street instead of their usual location.

Tanisha Pilar DeJesus, a critic of Melissa Mark-Viverito’s role in the discussion about possibly rezoning East Harlem, is challenging the outgoing speaker in the race for district leader.

This particular piece- Trojan Horse in East Harlem – is the focal point of a series on No Rezoning, No Displacement, No Gentrification artworks. It was compiled by HART and featured at the Guerrilla Gallery located at East 116th Street between Third and Second Avenues in El Barrio. It is based on the metaphor of the City Limits published article “East Harlem Trojan Horse” written by Roger Hernandez, Jr.

Azilde Plasencio, at left, and Robert Guilbe, at right, talk about the changes they’ve witnessed in East Harlem.

Leon Bligen, a local homeowner who said that despite the fact that he owns, he is concerned about the fate of his neighbors in East Harlem.

La rezonificación propuesta por la ciudad cambiaría la altura permitida para los edificios de varias avenidas de East Harlem y promovería el desarrollo residencial en algunas aéreas que están actualmente zonificadas para uso industrial.

Chenchita’s Community Garden is part of this street scene in East Harlem, one of several city neighborhoods where rezoning plans and deep housing vulnerability mix.

An East Harlem scene.

The city’s proposed rezoning would change the allowable building heights on several East Harlem avenues and promote residential development in some areas that are currently zoned for industrial use.

La intersección de la calle 116 y 3a Avenida, una de las vías públicas que figuran en las propuestas de rezonificación.

Lifelong East Harlem resident Joanne Rodriguez with her niece at the intersection of 116 Street and 3rd Avenue. Both rezoning plans would permit higher buildings on 3rd, but the Speaker’s allies say their plan would yield more affordability and less density.

Erik Olson of the Department of City Planning presents the city’s proposed rezoning of East Harlem to the City Planning Commission for ULURP certification on April 24, 2017.

Protesters at a December 15, 2016 hearing on the scope of the environmental review to be done ahead of a proposed East Harlem rezoning.

Roberto Anazagasti, one of the leaders of El Barrio Unite, talking with representatives of the Council speaker and Manhattan Borough President.

One of many voices heard at a November meeting about the East Harlem zoning study.

A photo from the East Harlem Neighborhood Plan showing one of the community outreach sessions conducted during the plan’s preparation. The author believes that process operated quietly and selectively in a community where many residents might prefer no rezoning at all.

Marie Winfield. asking a question during the Department of City Planning’s presentation of it’s draft rezoning framework for East Harlem at Community Board 11’s Land Use, Landmarks & Planning Committee meeting on November 9th.

The crowd at an earlier City Planning presentation on the East Harlem proposal.

Mohammed-Uddin has been planting and harvesting beans by the East Harlem Little League field fence for years. The site is a likely target for housing development,

Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito seen in East Harlem in August 2014. She supports the mayor’s rezoning proposals but the community planning effort she has spearheaded includes groups that don’t.

East Harlem Photo Essay

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East Harlem Photo Essay

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