Co-op City, Bronx

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Co-op City sits along the Hutchinson River
Co-op City sits along the Hutchinson River

Co-op City is the largest cooperative housing development in the world.[1] It is located in the Baychester section of the Borough of the Bronx in northeast New York City. Situated at the intersection of Interstate 95 and the Hutchinson River Parkway, the community is part of Bronx Community Board 10. If it were a distinct municipality, instead of part of Bronx county, it would be the 10th largest "city" in New York State. Nearby attractions include Pelham Bay Park, Orchard Beach and City Island.

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[edit] Physical detail

Construction began in 1968 and was completed in 1971. Its 15,372 residential units, in 35 high rise buildings and seven clusters of townhouses, make it the largest single residential development in the United States.[2] It sits on 320 acres but only 20% of the land was developed, leaving many green spaces. The apartment buildings, referred to by number, range from 24 floors to as high as 33. The 236 townhouses, referred to by their street-name cluster, are three stories high and have a separate garden apartment and upper duplex three-bedroom apartment.

This "city within a city" also has eight parking garages, three shopping centers, a 25-acre educational park (including a high school, two middle schools and three grade schools), power plant, a 4-story air conditioning generator and a firehouse. More than 40 offices within the development are rented by doctors, lawyers, and other professionals and there are at least 15 houses of worship. Spread throughout the community are six nursery schools and day care centers, four basketball courts and five baseball diamonds. The adjacent Bay Plaza Shopping Center has a 13-plex movie theater, department stores, and a supermarket.

The development was built on landfill; the original marshland still surrounds it. The building foundations extend down to bedrock through 50,000 pilings, but the land surrounding Co-op's structures settles and sinks a fraction of an inch each year, creating cracks in sidewalks and entrances to buildings.

[edit] Management

Riverbay Corporation, is the co-op's core body and is lead by a 15-member board of directors. As a cooperative development, the tenants run the complex through this elected board. There is no pay for serving on the board. The corporation employs over 1000 people and has 32 administrative and operational departments to serve the development.

The complex has its own Public Safety Department with 89 sworn officers, which include field patrol, plainclothes detectives and EMT/AED certified members of the force. All members have also attained Peace Officer status by NY State because of their special training. In December 2007, the cable television company Cablevision gave Riverbay permission to use its fiber optic cables in order to install additional surveillance cameras throughout the complex to be viewed at the Public Safety Command Center. In 2008, trained supervisors were granted the power to write summonses for parking and noise violations and Segways were acquired to-- along with bikes-- help the officers patrol during the warmer months.

Co-op City has been managed by Marion Scott Real Estate, Inc. since October 1999. Before then, the property was run by in-house general managers.

Co-Op City as viewed from the east over the Hutchinson River.
Co-Op City as viewed from the east over the Hutchinson River.

There are two weekly newspapers serving the community: Co-op City Times (the official Riverbay paper) and City News.

[edit] History

Co-op City is on the site of Freedomland, a former amusement park. Prior to housing that theme park, a small municipal airport was established there.[3] When traveling into the city southbound from Interstate 95, it is one of the first sights a traveler sees and a vivid example of New York's urban immensity.

The project was sponsored and built by the United Housing Foundation, an organization established in 1951 by Abraham Kazan and the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America. It was designed by cooperative architect Herman J. Jessor. The name of the complex's corporation itself was later changed to RiverBay at Co-op City.

The construction of the community was financed with a mortgage loan from New York State's Housing Finance Agency (HFA). The complex defaulted on the loan in 1975 and has had ongoing agreements to pay back HFA, until 2004 when it was financially unable to continue payments due to the huge costs of emergency repairs. New York Community Bank helped Riverbay satisfy its $57 million mortage obligation, except for $95 million in arrears, by refinancing the loan later that same year. This led to the agreement that Co-op City would remain in the Mitchell-Lama Housing Program for at least seven more years as a concession on the arrears and that any rehabilitation that Co-op City took on to improve the original poor construction (which happened under the State's watch) would earn credit toward eliminating the debt. By 2008, Riverbay had submitted enough proof of construction repairs to pay off the balance of arrears to New York State.

Co-op City is situated in The Bronx, at the northeastern edge of New York City
Co-op City is situated in The Bronx, at the northeastern edge of New York City

Mismanagement, shoddy construction and corruption lead to the community defaulting on its loan in 1975. The original Kazan board resigned and the state took over control. Cooperators were faced with a 25 percent increase in their monthly maintenance fees. Instead, a rent-strike was organized. New York State threatened to foreclose on the property, and evict the tenants-- which would would mean the loss of their equity. But Cooperators stayed united and held out 13 months (the longest and largest rent-strike in United States history) before a compromise was finally reached, with mediation from then Bronx Borough President, Robert Abrams, and then Secretary of State, Mario Cuomo. Cooperators would remit $20 million in back pay, but they would get to take over management of the complex and set their own fees.[4]

The shares of stock that prospective purchasers bought to enable them to occupy Co-op City apartments became the subject of protracted litigation culminating in a United States Supreme Court decision United Housing Foundation, Inc. v. Forman, 421 U.S. 837 (1975).

In October 2006, Charles Rosen, who was the executive director of The Gloria Wise Boys & Girls Club of Co-op City, and Jeff Aulenbach, a deputy executive director, pled guilty to charges of fraud and financial mismanagement. Rosen pleaded guilty to felony charges of grand larceny and forgery, and a misdemeanor count of obstructing government administration. Aulenbach pled to the same, except the forgery charge. They pocketed $1.2 million-- of which $875,000 was loaned to the then radio start-up Air America Radio (the money has since been paid back) -- of city funds meant to be used for social programs. The Boys & Girls Club of America cut ties with the Co-op City branch and New York City initially withheld $9.7 million, putting the club in danger of closing. Eventually, the organization reorganized-- replacing the director, board and 90 percent of its staff-- and reopened.[5] Co-op City residents presented Bronx state Supreme Court Justice John Byrne with petitions and hundreds of letters asking for jail time, but-- in a plea deal-- Rosen was ordered to pay $38,575 and Aulenbach $32,363 in restitution to The Gloria Wise Club. Both also must pay a $5,000 fine to the City and Rosen will be barred from working for a (NY) non-profit for 3 years. Charlie Rosen had been a longtime and respected community activist, best known for leading the year-long Co-op City rent strike in the early 1970s. [6]

In September 2007, a report by the New York Inspector General, Kristine Hamann, charged that the Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR), which is responsible for overseeing Mitchel-Lama developments, was negligent in its duties to supervise the contracting, financial reporting, budgeting and the enforcement of regulations in Co-op City (and other M-L participants) during the period of January 2003 to October 2006. The report also chided Marion Scott management for trying to influence the Riverbay Board by financing election candidates and providing jobs and sports tickets to Board members and their family/friends-- all violations of DHCR and/or Riverbay regulations. The DHCR was instructed to overhaul its system of oversight to better protect the residents and taxpayer money.[7]

In October 2007, a former board president, Iris Herskowitz Baez, and a former painting contractor, Nickhoulas Vitale, pled guilty to involvement in a kickback scheme. While on the Riverbay Board, Baez steered $3.5 million in subsidized painting contracts for needed work in Co-op City apartments, to Vitale's company, Stadium Interior Painting, in exchange for $100,000 in taxpayer money.[8] Ms. Herskowitz Baez was sentenced to 6 months in jail, 12 months probation and given a $10,000 fine in March 2008. [9]

[edit] Qualifications for resident application

View from corner of Asch Loop/Co-Op City Blvd (See more photos at Webshots external link)
View from corner of Asch Loop/Co-Op City Blvd
(See more photos at Webshots external link)

As of November 2007 those who wish to move into Co-op City must meet the following requirements:

  • Must not have felony conviction(s)
  • Credit score of at least 650 for the one-bedroom and 700 for the two and three-bedroom apartments
  • Must not belong to the Section 8 program
  • Must not have another primary residence
  • Be subject to a home visit during the application process

Depending on the number of rooms and occupants Sales prices:

  • One-bedroom-- $10,500-$14,000
  • two-bedrooms-- $15,750-$17,500
  • three-bedrooms-- $21,000-$22,750

Income requirement:

  • One-bedroom-- $22,288 minimum/$71,064 maximum
  • Two-bedrooms-- $32,384 minimum/$101,520 maximum
  • Three-bedrooms-- $48,620 minimum/$132,072 maximum
  • Seniors have a reduced minimum income of between $19,872 and $43,092

Monthly maintenance:

  • One-bedroom-- $552-$736
  • two-bedrooms-- $828-$920
  • three-bedrooms-- $1105-$1197

[edit] Renovations

Within the first decade of the 2000s, the aging development began undergoing a complex-wide $240 million renovation, replacing piping and garbage compactors, rehabilitating garages and roofs, upgrading the power plant, making facade and terrace repairs, switching to energy-efficient lighting and water-conserving technologies, replacing all 130,000 windows and 4,000 terrace doors (costing $57.9 million in material and labor) and all 179 elevators. The word "renaissance" is being used to describe this period in Co-op City history.

Many of these efforts are also helping in the "greening" of the complex: the power-plant will be less polluting, the buildings will be more efficient and recycling efforts will become more extensive. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) awarded its largest ever grant-- $5.2 million-- to the community under its NY Energy $mart Assisted Multifamily Program.

In 2007, the power plant was in the process of upgrading from solely managing the electricity brought in from Con Edison to a 40-megawatt tri-generation facility with the ability to use oil, gas or steam (depending on market conditions) to power turbines to produce its own energy. The final cost of this energy independence could be as much as $90 million, but it is hoped to pay for itself with the savings earned--with conservative estimates at $18 million annually-- within several years. Also, whatever excess power generated after satisfying the community's needs will be sold back to the electrical grid, adding another source of income for Riverbay.

In 2003, after a partial collapse in one garage, inspectors found 5 of the 8 garages to be unsafe and ordered them closed for extensive repairs. The other 3 garages were able to remain partially open during repairs. To deal with the parking crisis, New York City allowed angled parking in the community, the large greenways in the complex were paved over to make outdoor parking lots and agreements were made with nearby shopping centers to use their extra parking spaces. January 2008 was the first time in over 4 1/2 years that all the garages were back open. The greenways are in the process of being restored.

Who would pay for these upgrades created a protracted dispute between Riverbay and the State of New York.[10] Co-op City was developed under New York's Mitchell-Lama Program, which subsidizes affordable housing. Riverbay charged that the state should help with the costs because of severe infrastructure failures stemming from the development's original shoddy construction, which occurred under the supervision of the state. The state countered that Riverbay was responsible for the costs because of its lack of maintenance over the years. In the end, a compromise had the state supplying money and Riverbay refinancing the mortgage, borrowing $480 million from New York Community Bank in 2004, to cover the rest of the capital costs.[11]

[edit] Population

Co-op City's population is about 55,000 and the ethnic makeup rounds to 55% Black/African American, 25% Hispanic (of any race) and 20% White (non-Hispanic). Because of its large senior citizen block-- well over 8,300 residents above the age of sixty-- it is considered the largest Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC) in the nation and its Senior Services Program has extensive outreach to help its aging residents, most of whom moved in as workers and remained after retiring.[12]

Co-op City was home to a large Jewish community in its early years-- as well as Italian and Irish-- many of whom relocated from other areas of the Bronx such as the Grand Concourse. With African-Americans making up a large minority, as well, the community became known for its ethnic diversity. As early tenants grew older and moved away, the newer residents reflected the current population of the Bronx, with African American and Hispanic residents becoming the majority.[13] In the 1990s after the fall of the Soviet Union, the neighborhood received an influx of former Eastern Bloc emigres, especially from Russia and Albania.[14]

[edit] Popular culture

A closeup view of Co-Op City Buildings
A closeup view of Co-Op City Buildings

[edit] Notable residents

[edit] See also

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ "Urban Mass: A Look at Co-op City", The Cooperator. Accessed December, 2006.
  2. ^ A Walk Through the Bronx, WNET. Accessed June 18, 2007. "Co-op City is a middle income cooperative located in the northeastern corner of the Bronx and is it the largest single residential development in the United States. Completed in 1971, it consists of 15,372 residential units, in thirty-five high-rise buildings and seven clusters of townhouses."
  3. ^ Whitsett, Ross. "Urban Mass: A Look at Co-op City", The Cooperator. Accessed September 22, 2007. "Prior to Freedomland, the land occupied by Co-op City was reincarnated several times — first as the home of the Siwasnoy Indians, then as a cucumber farm and pickle factory, then as a failed municipal airport."
  4. ^ "Bronx Odyssey: From Rebel to Executive to Felon", The New York Times, October 10, 2006. Accessed October 10, 2006.
  5. ^ "City Finds Widespread Fraud at a Bronx Charity" "The New York Times". Accessed October 6, 2006
  6. ^ "Ex-Leaders of Bronx Charity Avoid Prison in Fraud Case " "The New York Times". Accessed March 14, 2007
  7. ^ "An In-Depth Review of the Division of Housing and Community Renewal’s Oversight of the Mitchell-Lama Program" "State of New York Office of the Inspector General" September 2007
  8. ^ Cornell, Kati. "PAINT MISBEHAVIN' AT CO-OP", The New York Post, October 19, 2007. Accessed January 20, 2008.
  9. ^ "FORMER CO-OP CITY BOARD PRESIDENT SENTENCED TO JAIL TIME FOR ACCEPTING KICKBACK PAYMENTS", "United States Attorney Southern District of New York", MARCH 2008
  10. ^ "Co-op City secures $480m loan to pay mortgage, finance repairs" "Real Estate Weekly". Accessed September 15, 2004"Many of the needed repairs stem from construction-related defects, and Co-op City residents and state officials have been arguing for years over who should pay for them."
  11. ^ "Residential Real Estate; Co-op City Hires Outside Managers" "The New York Times". Accessed November 5, 1999
  12. ^ "Haven for Workers in Bronx Evolves for Their Retirement" "The New York Times". Accessed August 5, 2002
  13. ^ "Co-op City Sets New Goal: Attract More Whites" "The New York Times". Accessed November 30, 1987
  14. ^ "Urban Mass: A Look at Co-op City" "The Cooperator: The Co-op & Condo Monthly" December 2006
  15. ^ Stanley, Alessandra. "Out of Cell (and Sickbed), Biaggi Tries Anew", The New York Times, September 12, 1992. Accessed October 28, 2007. "Mr. Engel, 45, a former teacher and State Assemblyman who grew up in Co-op City, where he still lives, is so subdued and unflamboyant that on Capitol Hill, where he serves on the Foreign Affairs Committee, he is sometimes mistaken for a Congressional aide."
  16. ^ Coffey, Wayne. Former Met Stanley Jefferson struggles to cope with horror of life as 9/11 cop", New York Daily News, March 9, 2007. Accessed June 18, 2007.
  17. ^ Vanderbilt, Tom. "CITY LORE; Stagecoach Wreck Injures 10 in Bronx", The New York Times, September 1, 2002. Accessed October 11, 2007. "After a few years, the world's largest theme park, and New York's last, gave way to the world's largest housing development, Co-op City. Mr. Price, who joined the electrical workers' union, helped build it.... A year later, Mr. Price got an apartment in Co-op City: I wound up living in Freedomland, so to speak."

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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