Holmes Towers facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Holmes Towers
NYCHA property
Holmes Towers in 2019
Country	United States
State	New York
City	New York City
Borough	Manhattan
Area
• Total	0.004 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Population
• Total	951
• Density	238,000/sq mi (92,000/km2)
ZIP codes	10128
Area code(s)	212, 332, 646, and 917

The John Haynes Holmes Towers is a group of buildings that provide public housing for people with lower incomes. It is located in the Yorkville area of the Upper East Side in New York City, New York, United States. These towers are just south of 96th Street.

The Holmes Towers are next to the Isaacs Houses. Both are close to East Harlem, which has many public housing buildings. The Holmes Towers have two buildings, each 25 stories tall. They were built in 1969 and have 537 apartments. The buildings are found between 92nd and 93rd Streets, from 1st Avenue to York Avenue and the FDR Drive.

The buildings are named after John Haynes Holmes. He started the Community Church of New York. He was known for being a pacifist (someone who believes in peace over war) and a leader in social justice. This means he worked to make society fair for everyone.

History of Holmes Towers

In 1973, many of the people living in Holmes Towers were older white residents. Today, 60 percent of the apartments are set aside for people over 62 years old.

The Isaacs Houses are just north of the Holmes Towers. These two housing areas are managed together by the New York City Housing Authority. They are the only public housing developments on the Upper East Side.

The police department has noted that these housing projects have faced some challenges with safety. However, the safety issues are generally less serious compared to other public housing areas further north. In 2018, federal inspections found some problems at Holmes Towers, Isaacs Houses, and Robbins Plaza.

Plans for New Buildings

In 2015, there was a plan to build a new tower where the complex's playground was. This was part of New York's NextGen program. The program aimed to help the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) get money for repairs.

The new building was planned to be 47 stories tall. Half of its apartments would be for people who needed affordable housing. The other half would be for people who could pay market rates. The lower-income residents would live on the lower floors.

Many residents of Holmes Towers did not like this plan. They worried that the new tower would block sunlight and make their living conditions worse. They also felt they were not asked for their opinions about the plan. Because of this, they held a protest.

To build the tower, a property developer would rent the land from NYCHA for 99 years. The developer would pay $25 million for the lease and keep all the rent from the new building. They would also get $13 million in government support and not pay property taxes.

In 2019, Gale Brewer, who was the Manhattan Borough President at the time, took Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYCHA to court. She argued that the mayor was trying to build the towers illegally. She said they were not following zoning laws and skipping a public review process called the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP).

Because of these issues, NYCHA decided to cancel the plan in 2019.

See also

In Spanish: Holmes Towers para niños