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ALBANY, NEW YORK 12247

,') DEVELC.f.!i..'jE.:,tr
GOV
May 9, 2012
Darryl Towns
Commissioner
New York State Homes and Community Renewal
Hampton Plaza
38-40 State Street, 9
th
Floor
Albany. NY 12207
Re: Buchanan Apartments, 160 East 48
th
Street, New York, NY 10017
Docket# A043000S0D
Dear Commissioner Towns,
I am writing to express my significant concerns regarding an application submitted to New Yark
State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) on February 23.2012 to reduce the services
provided to residents ofthe Buchanan Apartments, which is located within my Senate District at
160 East 48 Street (a copy is attached).
t 60 East 48
th
Street is a large 291 unit apartment building which runs the length ofthe block
between 48
th
and 47th Streets on Third A venue, and contains two entrances, one on East 48
th
Street and one on East Street. I have been informed that since the building opened in 1927,
both entrances have been manned by a team of24 hour doonnen. The building owner has
requested permiksion from HCR to completely eliminate the doormen service from one side of
the building, and replace it with key cards and buzzers which would pennit residents to buzz
visitors into the building. It is my understanding that both HeR and New York State Courts
have repeatedly determined that the types ofsubstitute services the building owner proposes,
such as the replacement ofan actual doorman with a "virtual" doorman, cannot be considered
adequate replacements.
My office has received numerous calls and emails from rent regulated tenants at 160 East 48
th
Street, many ofwho are elderly, who are deeply disturbed by the building owner" s recent
application to HeR. They are concerned about their safety, as well as the diminishment of
services that only a doorman can accommodate; including, the acceptance and delivery of
packages, keeping trespassers from hanging out in the building's courtyard, and preventing
- ------------
strangers from entering the building. Additionally, the patrons of the various bars and
nightclubs in the area have been discouraged from harassing the residents ofthe buiJding by the
presence ofthe doonnen.
I strongly urge the HeR to reject the owner's application to alter the services provided to the
residents of 160 East 48 Street. Thimk you for your consideration in this matter, and I look
forward to continuing to work with HeR on constituent cases in my district and other important
housing issues in New York State.
Sincerely,
Liz Krueger
State Senator