Now that the 125Th Street Rezoning Project has been approved, what’s next? City leaders, environmental organizations, community activists, mom and pops businesses, and long time residents of Harlem are now realizing that change is coming to their neighborhoods whether they like it or not. Harlem residents are now wondering how this change will affect their lives in regards to where they will live, work and shop. Activists are working to make sure that this change is implemented safely for the benefit of the environment and the long time residents who have made Harlem into what it is today. Harlem has become a city of deep roots and it has set a platform for the future success of the next Malcolm X, W.E.B DuBois, or Billie Holiday.
Photo courtesy of Savorysojourns.com
The New York City Department of City Planning is now moving forward with their projected plans for 125Th Street in Harlem. The real conflict in this story is finding out how their plans will change the neighborhood. Harlem based environmental organization, We Act has a program dedicated to assessing the negative impacts that will result from this project. They are working to get city leaders to addressing these issues before the rezoning project starts. Another Harlem organization, Vote People is completely against the approved plan and has put in appeals to the New York courts. But, now that the plan is moving forward despite their appeals, Vote People is forced to accept this reality. Now they are going forward to find ways to protect businesses and the homes of Harlem residents. Their goals right now are to make sure that Harlem keeps the same essence that many longtime residence have grown up with.
Businesses in the area have already closed up. Not because of bad business, but because they feel they are being pushed out. As reported by Harlem World Blog, one particular business owner of the former Record Shack on 125th Street didn’t have the chance to renew his lease of the space he’s rented for 36 years.
“It’s a very gloomy day in our community, seeing that everything is being taken over. Peoples’ homes are being taken over and businesses that people have been used to for generations and generations, like my business,” says Mr. Shange.
The 125th Street Rezoning Project is in progress and the Department of City Planning (http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/125th/125th6.shtml) plans to give financial aide to 70 displaced businesses, build affordable housing, and construct spaces for performing arts and offices. According to Plan NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg believes this project will “strengthen” the area by creating over 7,000 jobs with the construction of a better business district that includes areas of entertainment and retail.
Photo courtesy of Murphsplace.com
This project will change the lives of Harlemites and it’s possible that this change will help a well-known city of the world to grow prosperously.