Last week, construction broke ground on 105 West 108th Street, a forthcoming 13-story affordable housing building on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Designed by Dattner Architects and developed by The West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing, the project will yield 84 permanent senior housing units for adults 62 years and older, with 40 units reserved for adults 55 and over who have experienced homelessness and are living with serious mental illness and/or substance use disorder. The upcoming structure is part of phase two of the WSFSSH campus, and is being built on an interior lot by the corner of West 108th Street and Columbus Avenue.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held, with the WSFSSH joined by New York City Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning Leila Bozorg, New York City Comptroller Mark Levine, Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, State Senator Cordell Cleare, and a representative from Assembly Member Micah Lasher’s Office, and the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
105 West 108th Street. Photo courtesy of WSFSSH.
The above and below renderings show the design of the future senior residence with a light-colored exterior facade and a grid of narrow and wide windows that are vertically grouped every two floors above the second level. A setback is located on level 11 to make room for an outdoor terrace, while a bulkhead caps the flat parapet. Additional lot line windows are visible along the eastern and western sides of the superstructure.
105 West 108th Street. Rendering courtesy of Dattner Architects.
The below Google Maps street view image shows the former dilapidated city-owned parking garage that was fully demolished for the project.
105 West 108th Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan via Google Maps
The WSFSSH complex consists of the existing 143-145 West 108th Street, aka Valley Lodge, a homeless shelter for older adults,with permanent supportive housing for low-income families and formerly homeless seniors, and a federally qualified health center operated by the Institute for Family Health.
Significant supporters and funders in advancing phase two of the master plan include the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the New York City Department of Homeless Services, the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance’s Homeless Housing and Assistance Program, Enterprise Community Partners, Bellwether Enterprise, JPMorgan Chase, and Capital One Community Investments, along with the HPD–NYSERDA Future Housing Initiative and discretionary funding from Council Member Shaun Abreu and Comptroller Levine in his capacity as Manhattan Borough President.
105 West 108th Street is slated to become a one hundred percent electric residential building designed to meet Passive House energy standards, with a 30 percent reduction in building energy as compared to a typical residential building in New York City. Inside will be 22 studios, 61 one-bedroom apartments, and a one-bedroom superintendent’s unit. Tenants will pay no more than 30 percent of their income in rent through project-based Section 8 vouchers. Of the 83 affordable units, 40 will be reserved as homeless set-aside apartments with referrals through the New York City Department of Homeless Services and the Human Resources Administration; the remaining 43 units will be made available through Housing Connect, New York City’s affordable housing lottery.
Amenities will include on-site social services and property management, a 24/7 staffed front desk, a community room, a landscaped rear yard and communal laundry facilities.
The nearest subway stop is the Cathedral Parkway (110 St) station at the corner of Central Park West and Central Park North, servicing the B and C trains.
105 West 108th Street’s anticipated completion date is slated for the summer of 2028, as noted on site.
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Why does the Upper West side get so many more homeless, immigrant, drug shelters compared to every other neighborhood in Manhattan?
But if building with so much demand why doesn’t city allow a 80 story building.
Gee. The land use comments are just a bit biased..no? Building housing for people with affordability challenges? Building housing for seniors?
When the most vulnerable amongst us become rejects? When did this become bad?
At any rate, the use is totally appropriate. Housing in a city that needs housing. The industrial use of the current structure and lot is no longer appropriate.
So this is a great project.
Unfortunately, for the last decade, the self-righteous have been given permission to openly express their utter hatred for certain people who they have determined to be beneath them. It’s a very ugly and telling trait that the rest of us find completely repellent and vulgar.
Agreed.
Shelters serve a need for people in crisis but are also the housing of last resort for the most vulnerable due to our limited supply that has accrued over decades. If neighborhoods want fewer shelters, be more permissive of affordable housing NOW so there can be less demand for shelters in the future.
The new building looks good and this is progress, but the article could have mentioned the former structure was the old Leo Castelli Warehouse art gallery, which played an important role in the modern art scene from the 60s to the early 70s. Lichtenstein, Serra and many other recognizable names showed here.
Thank you for sharing that information. An important and interesting piece of art history.
Good stuff, NFA!
Thank for covering this important project. One more coming on May 8th on 85th Street on the West Side.
-Sheldon Fine, President, West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing
I appreciate the fact that the city is thinking about elderly and people with substance abuse and mental health issues. My only problem is that this new project sits right across from a junior high school. I believe children are the most vulnerable and they ought to be protected at any cost.
I live a block away and I’m happy to hear that they are breaking ground on this project. The other building managed by WSFSSH turned out beautifully and is very well maintained. With the park finally being renovated, that whole side of the block is being rejuvenated. I wonder if the people complaining about this don’t actually live in the neighborhood.
90 percent of the the time you see people complaining about anything and everything about a project means they don’t live in the area.
I understand that elderly people with problems need housing, but not across the street from our school