FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 24, 2007
Contact:
Carmen Vasquez, (212) 860-8821, Ext. 162
Hope Community to Host “Rolling for Peace” - A Community-Wide Initiative Promoting Alternatives to Youth Violence on June 7
East Harlem youth are invited to dust off their bikes, put on their helmets, and join “Rolling for Peace,” the first-ever youth violence-prevention procession and street fair to be held Thursday, June 7th, 2007.
Organized by Hope’s Ortiz-Wittenberg KidsClub, the bike ride will take place along Third and Park Avenues between 104th and 116th Street - ending at 109th Street where a street fair featuring food and other vendors, local programs promoting enriching youth programs, and community leaders speaking out against gang activity and violence is planned.
“This is a return to the era when Hope Community sponsored local marathons and other activities aimed at encouraging our youth to engage in sports as an alternative to street violence,” said Roger Caban, Chairman of Hope’s Board, adding, “We hope to make the bike tour an annual event in East Harlem.”
Rolling for Peace Schedule
Registration |
8 am – 9:30 am |
| |
|
Rolling for Peace Bike Tour
(104th Street to 116th Street/Third Ave.,
to Park Ave., to East 109th Street) |
10 am – 11 am |
| |
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East 109th Street Anti-Violence Festival
(between Lexington/Third Avenues) |
11 am – 5 pm |
To volunteer, please contact Carmen Vasquez at (212) 860-8821, Ext. 162.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 26, 2007
Contact:
Carmen Vasquez, (212) 860-8821, Ext. 162
Hope to Premiere Documentary: “East Harlem Focus”
Panel Discussion on Gentrification to Follow
On Thursday, May 10th, Hope Community, Inc. will premiere a 30-minute documentary, "East Harlem Focus: A Community Facing Transition," at its Carlos Rios Senior Residence, 335 East 105th Street, beginning at 6:00 pm.
The public screening will be followed by an in-depth public discussion on gentrification and displacement in East Harlem. Among the local partner agencies invited to speak are Lakeview Tenants Association, Community Voices Heard, Esperanza Del Barrio, and Movement for Justice in El Barrio.
“The goals of the research project were to identify and explain changing forces, highlight concerns of local residents, and propose practical courses of action for positive future development,” explained Hope’s Acting Executive Director, Robin LeBaron. “We hope the film and panel discussion will shed new light on the issue of displacement and lay the foundation for an alliance with local partners to preserve East Harlem’s historic standing as a vibrant, affordable neighborhood for working class families.”
Produced by the agency’s community programs department, “East Harlem Focus” is the culmination of a 12-month, community-based research project that documented a neighborhood threatened by rapid and transformative change.
The research team interviewed with over 30 neighborhood residents to capture their observations, opinions, and feelings about East Harlem. The team also drew from a wide range of sources — including the U.S. census, records from three city agencies, and private data on real estate sales — to describe and analyze demographic trends and flows of investment in local real estate.
In addition to the video, Hope produced an accompanying published report available online. Click here to read the report.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 5, 2007
Contact:
Carmen Vasquez, (212) 860-8821, Ext. 162
New Leadership at Hope Community, Inc.
Hope Community’s Board of Directors announces the resignation of Executive Director William Jacoby and the appointments of Robin LeBaron as Acting Executive Director and Carmen Vasquez as Acting Chief of Staff/Director of Community Relations.
“Mr. Bill Jacoby directed Hope Community through a period of transition, and the Board is extremely grateful to Mr. Jacoby for his service to Hope and its mission,” said Hope Board President Roger Cabán. “We appreciate his efforts, and we will miss him.”
Robin LeBaron will direct Hope Community during the leadership transition. Mr. LeBaron holds a Ph.D. in anthropology from the New School for Social Research and has worked for over a decade in New York City’s community development field.
Carmen Vasquez, who left a career in the textile industry two years ago to assist Hope with its community relations and tenant services, will serve as Acting Chief of Staff during the transition. And the other members of Hope’s strong existing leadership team will play a vital role in keeping the organization moving forward as it continues to expand upon the many achievements of the past few years.
“We’re looking forward to working with Mr. LeBaron, Ms. Vasquez, and the rest of Hope’s leadership team and staff,” said Miguel Calderon, vice-chair of the Hope board of directors.
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For Immediate Release:
November 15, 2006
Hope Community, Inc. to Hold a Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for Hope
Crossroads, a Gut Rehabilitation Project Funded by HPD and CPC
Who: William Jacoby, Executive Director of Hope Community, Inc. and members of Hope’s Development team. Invited guests will include representatives from the Community Preservation Corporation, HPD’s Small Building & New Partners Program, Neighborhood Restore HDFC, and Hope’s architectural and contracting partners.
What: Hope Community will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its Hope Crossroads HDFC development, which consists of two small brownstones located at 154 and 156 East 124th Street in East Harlem.
When: Wednesday, December 13, from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Where: 156 East 124th Street, between Lexington and Third Avenues.
Background
Once badly dilapidated, structurally unstable and virtually uninhabitable, the Hope Crossroads HDFC brownstones were acquired by Hope from the City of New York through its Third Party Transfer Program.
The structures were completely gutted, rebuilt and converted into eight affordable residential studios and four one-bedroom apartments. While most occupants were permanently relocated into Hope’s portfolio, four tenants that were temporarily relocated will return to the buildings upon completion of construction in December 2006.
“This project is another example of a community based not-for-profit organization successfully helping to revitalize the East Harlem community,” said Bill Jacoby, Hope’s Executive Director. “Our success is largely due to the hard work and dedication of our development team, who worked closely with the architect, William Robert King, and the general contractor, TMA Contracting, to see this project to fruition. We are also grateful to the Department of Housing Preservation and Development and the Community Preservation Corporation for financing to enable us to fulfill our mission.”
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For Immediate Release:
October 30, 2006
Hope Community to Dedicate New Groundswell Youth Mural in East Harlem
Who: Carmen Vasquez, Community Relations Manager of Hope Community, Inc., Jenny Laden, Board President of Groundswell Community Mural Project, Lead Muralist Eduardo Alexander Rabel, Assistant Muralist Alex Pimienta, and invited guests
What: Dedication of 45 x 30 foot “Deja Vu: Which Path Will You Choose,” a collaborative outdoor mural by Groundswell Community Mural Project & Hope Community, Inc.
When: Saturday, November 4th, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Where: Lexington Avenue community garden between 123rd & 124th Streets
This Saturday, representatives from Hope Community Inc. and Groundswell Community Mural Project will publicly dedicate the “Deja Vu: Which Path Will You Choose” mural designed and painted by over one dozen neighborhood youth employed full-time through the NYC Summer Youth Employment Program.
Located in located in Hope’s Lexington Avenue community garden (between 123rd and 124th Streets), the community mural was organized by professional artists from Groundswell’s Making His’tory series which explores the problems and challenges faced by teenage men in our communities and presents solutions that can help them build for a strong future.
“I think the Groundswell team has done an exceptional job in helping provide vision to the aspirations and concerns that East Harlem youth experience every day,” said Hope Executive Director, William Jacoby. “We look forward to future collaborations.”
Throughout the summer, Lead Muralist Eduardo Alexander Rabel and Assistant Muralist Alex Pimienta worked with 15 young adults recruited by Hope Community Inc. into Groundswell’s Summer Leadership Institute/Making His'tory 2006 youth employment program. Together, the group created a mural designed to focus on making positive choices and overcoming challenges to build stronger communities.
As part of the project, teen muralists Travis Agosto, Jalissa Garland, Veronica Fullard, Jarei McKeiver, Antonio Mercer, Darron Montero, William Noel, Clifford Poulard, Darrion Roscoe, Jamel Tingman, Lucas Vega, and DaShawn Wilson also sought local participation and input on how best to address the challenges faced by young men in East Harlem. During a community forum, the mural team also displayed a draft of the mural design and gave a short presentation about the design.
“The overwhelming success of these programs proves the need for gender-based youth programming,” added Amy Sananman, Executive Director and founder of Groundswell. “We are thrilled to be able to provide such programming to young men. Making His’tory acknowledges the unique challenges faced by young men today,””
About Groundswell
Groundswell Community Mural Project is a Brooklyn-based, 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1996 to use community murals as a vehicle to help people connect to others, to issues in their community, to their beliefs, and to their imaginations.
Making His’tory was begun in response to the enormous success of Groundswell’s sister project, Voices Her’d, which provides young women an opportunity to work together as a team to discuss and address issues faced by women today.
The project was made possible with support from National Endowment for the Arts, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Rush Philanthropic/Pepsi Hip Hop Challenge, Starry Night Fund at Tides Foundation, Utrecht Art Supplies, Colgate Scaffolding, Valspar Paints, Lowes and the generosity of individual donors. Washington Mutual Bank volunteers cleaned and planted the garden beneath the mural.
About Hope Community, Inc.
Hope Community is a non-profit community-controlled development corporation dedicated to the revitalization of East Harlem since 1968. The agency has redeveloped 70 buildings and has 1100 apartments under management, and offers an array of community-building programs, social service referrals, and cultural programs.
Hope Community has long supported the arts in East Harlem and has worked to build a sense of community among local residents by producing annual fairs, street festivals, neighborhood murals, and, more recently, sponsoring an art gallery that highlights the work of local artists. For eights years, Hope has also produced an annual poetry series, Poetas con Café, and most recently sponsored the creation of a mosaic by Manny Vega in honor of the late Puerto Rican poet, Julia de Burgos.
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For Immediate Release:
October 2006
*Julia de Burgos, Remembered*
Hope Community, Inc., Unveils Commissioned Mosaic by artist Manny Vega to Anchor East Harlem Cultural Corridor
Community Leaders Announce the Renaming of 106th Street, between Fifth Avenue and First Avenue to Julia de Burgos Boulevard, Councilwoman Melissa Mark Viverito to read proclamation
East Harlem, Friday, October 27 at 11AM, 106th Street and Lexington Avenue
(New York, NY) -- On Friday, October 27, 2006, Hope Community, Inc. will host a press conference and unveiling of an historic mosaic by Manny Vega honoring the late Puerto Rican poet, Julia de Burgos. The 11:00 AM ceremony will take place in the heart of East Harlem’s “Cultural Corridor” - in front of a Hope building located on the northeast corner of Lexington Avenue and East 106th Street.
Immediately following the unveiling, community leaders will publicly announce the designation of a secondary honorary name to 106th Street in honor of Julia de Burgos, one of the leading Puerto Rican poets of the twentieth century. 106th Street is a key cultural artery of El Barrio and has long been acknowledged by Community Board Eleven as the cultural corridor in East Harlem. The 106th Street renaming marks one of the few instances of a street being named after a Puerto Rican woman of high accomplishments.
Among the guests will be Congressman Charles B. Rangel, State Senator José M. Serrano, NYS Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV, Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer, Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito, representatives from JPMorgan Chase, the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone, Mt. Sinai Medical Center, the East Harlem Board of Tourism, and members of Hope Community’s board and senior staff.
“The homage to Julia de Burgos will compliment Councilwomen Mark-Viverito and El Museo de Barrio’s exceptional initiative to rename East 106th Street in honor of the famous poet,” said Bill Jacoby, Hope’s Executive Director. “East Harlem residents and visitors will feel an increased sense of pride as they see the mosaic while strolling down the Julia de Burgos Boulevard.”
“This honor could be bestowed upon no individual more worthy that this outstanding woman,” concurred Congressman Charles B. Rangel. “I can't think of anyone more deserving of such a beautiful display. Julia de Burgos devoted her life to teaching children, inspiring national pride and advocating human rights through her poetry. Her contributions had an impact far beyond the neighborhood. It is a great joy to know than from now on when children look up to see the mural, they will be reminded of her accomplishments and the community's deepest respect and admiration.”
Julia de Burgos (born on February 17, 1914) was one of the most important and beloved Puerto Rican poets working in New York in the first half of the twentieth century. Modern critics believe that de Burgos’s poetry anticipated the work of feminist writers and poets as well as that of other Hispanic authors. “Writing in the 1930s through the 1950s,” declared a reviewer for Publishers Weekly, “de Burgos was ahead of her time in grasping connections between history, the body, politics, love, self-negation and feminism that would later prove to be the foundations for writers like [Adrienne] Rich and [Sylvia] Plath.” De Burgos published several books including; Poemas Exactos de mí Misma, Poemas en Veinte Zurcos and Canción de la Verdad Sencilla. She received several honors and homages before and after her death. De Burgos died in East Harlem, on July 6, 1953 at the early age of 39.
“Hope Community has long supported the arts in East Harlem and we have worked to build a sense of community among local residents by producing annual street fairs and arts programming,” concurred Hope Board Chairman, Roger Cabán.
“The ‘Remembering Julia’ mural project corresponds with the East Harlem Board of Tourism’s ‘Destination: El Barrio’ initiative,” added Kathy Benson, President of the Board of Tourism - which has endorsed the project. “East 106th Street has long been recognized as the neighborhood’s cultural corridor, and the mural project will greatly enhance the tourist experience.”
The mosaic unveiling and press conference will be followed by a 12:00 PM reception hosted by El Taller Boricua in the Julia de Burgos Latino Cultural Center at 1680 Lexington Avenue. The lunch-time gathering will offer guests appetizers and refreshments.
About the “Remembering Julia” Mosaic Committee
Organized by a committee consisting of Debbie Quinones and Marina Ortiz of East Harlem Preservation, Hope Chairman Roger Cabán, and Hope’s Program Services staff, the “Remembering Julia” team raised over $24,000 to underwrite the historic mosaic during a July 31 benefit.
About Manny Vega
Manny Vega has developed many other well-known public art works in El Barrio, including MTA/NYCT mosaics in the 110th Street Subway Station. He is largely recognized for the historical restoration of Hope Community’s “Spirit of East Harlem” by Hank Prussian mural on East 104th Street.
About Hope Community, Inc.
Hope Community is a non-profit community-controlled development corporation dedicated to the revitalization of East Harlem since 1968. The agency has redeveloped 70 buildings and has 1100 apartments under management, and offers an array of community-building programs, social service referrals, and cultural programs.
RECORDANDO A JULIA
Hope Community dará una rueda de prensa el 27 de Octubre para inaugurar un mosaico histórico creado por Manny Vega en honor a la poetisa Puertorriqueña Julia de Burgos. La ceremonia se llevará a cabo a las 11:00 AM frente a un edificio de Hope ubicado en la esquina noreste de la calle 106 y la avenida Lexington. La ceremonia concluirá con un brindis en el Centro Cultural Julia de Burgos en el 1680 de Lexington y calle 106 con presentaciones de varios poetas y artistas.
El mosaico además de ser un póstumo homenaje a Julia de Burgos, proyectar el orgullo y la herencia puertorriqueña a los residentes y visitantes de El Barrio, complementa la iniciativa de nombrar la calle 106: Boulevard Julia de Burgos en honor a la famosa poetisa. El mosaico “Recordando a Julia” es una iniciativa organizada por Debbie Quiñónes y Marina Ortiz de East Harlem Preservation, Roger Cabán, el presidente de la junta directiva y empleados de la unidad de Programas y Servicios de Hope Community.
Sobre Manny Vega
Manny Vega ha desarrollado otros conocidos trabajos de arte público en El Barrio incluyendo los mosaicos de la estación de tren de la calle 110 y la avenida Lexington y .la restauración del mural “Espíritu de East Harlem” localizado en la esquina de la calle 104 y Lexington.
El diseño y la implementación del mosaico “Recordando a Julia del Sr. Vega se produjo en un espacio comercial de Hope donde el artista ha estado trabajando ininterrumpidamente desde Agosto para alcanzar su plazo auto-impuesto para fin de Octubre 2006.
Click here to learn more.
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For Immediate Release:
October 2006
“PORTO BELLO REMEMBERED” EXHIBIT TO OPEN OCTOBER 19TH
AT HOPE’S ORTIZ-WITTENBERG GALLERY
WHO/WHAT: Roger Cabán, Chairman of the Board of Hope Community, Inc., will unveil a new exhibit, “Porto Bello Remembered,” featuring historical black and white photographs taken by Cabán in Panama during the late 1970s.
WHEN/WHERE:
Thursday, October 19th @ 6:00 – 9:00 pm
Ortiz-Wittenberg Gallery, 171 East 109th Street (bet. Third & Lexington Aves.)
WHY: “The Ortiz-Wittenberg Gallery is a place where Spanish Harlem poets, artists, musicians and politicians can showcase their work,” explains Cabán, “in a facility which embraces the organizations’ mission to embrace the arts while beautifying its open spaces. It is our belief that strong communities can be enhanced through the fostering of the arts and cultural activities of its people. As a cultural incubator for the area, Hope Community is conducive to the revitalization of Spanish Harlem.”
The Ortiz-Wittenberg Gallery’s previous exhibit, “Garavatos,” Spanish for “scribble-scrabble scratchings” featured murals, photography, canvas paintings, digitally generated art, collages and sculpture.
Cabán, who also serves as the head of Hope’s program services committee, recently showed his photography in an exhibit, “Los Muchachos del Barrio,” at Bonito Restaurant in East Harlem. (The presentation also included works by other East Harlem artists such as Diogenes Ballester, Fernando Salicrup, Franklin Flores, and Marcos Dimas.)
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 24, 2006
Hope Community to Hold Press Conference and Benefit for "Remembering Julia" Mosaic Project
Event: Press conference and benefit for an historic community mosaic honoring the late Puerto Rican poet Julia de Burgos by local artist Manny Vega.
Confirmed: NYS Senator José M. Serrano, JPMorgan Chase, Hope Community, Inc., the East Harlem Board of Tourism, the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone. The program will include tributes to Julia de Burgos by poets Sandra Maria Esteves, Sandra Garcia Rivera and Prisionera, along with live music by Yaya and Yerbabuena.
Invited: Congressman Charles B. Rangel, NYS Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV, Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer, NYC Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito, NYC Councilwoman Inez Dickens.
Date: Monday, July 31, 6:00 pm
Location: The press conference will be held promptly at 6:00 pm in front of the site of the proposed Julia de Burgos mosaic, on the northeast corner of Lexington Avenue and East 106th Street. It will be followed by a procession to Media Noche, at 161 East 106th Street (between Lexington and Third Avenues).
Hope Community is pleased to announce an exciting new cultural project: the creation of a mosaic of Puerto Rican poet Julia de Burgos by artist Manny Vega to be installed upon the wall of a Hope Community building, on the northeast corner of 106th Street and Lexington Avenue. Mr. Vega has developed many other well-known public art works in El Barrio, including mosaics in the 110th Street Subway Station and the restoration of Hope Community's “The Spirit of East Harlem” on East 104th Street.
“Hope Community, Inc. has long supported the arts in East Harlem and we have worked to build a sense of community among local residents by producing annual fairs, street festivals and, more recently, sponsoring an art gallery that highlights the work of local artists,” said Hope Executive Director, Bill Jacoby. “A mosaic of Julia de Burgos by Manny Vega will both honor East Harlem’s cultural heritage and help to encourage arts- and tourism-related economic activity in the neighborhood.
“We envision this project as the first of a larger initiative designed to preserve and restore East Harlem’s existing murals/mosaics and to create new ones,” added Jacoby. “To that end, we have also embarked on another project with the Groundswell Community Mural Project, which is working with local youth to create a new mural in our community garden on Lexington Avenue between 123rd and 124th Streets.”
“The ‘Remembering Julia’ mural project corresponds absolutely with the East Harlem Board of Tourism's ‘Destination: El Barrio’ initiative,” concurred Kathy Benson, President of the Board of Tourism – which has endorsed the project. “One of the Board's primary purposes is to brand El Barrio as a vital center of pan-Latino culture. East 106th Street has long been recognized as the neighborhood’s cultural corridor, and the mural project will greatly enhance the tourist experience.”
About the "Remembering Julia" Mosaic Project
Coordinated by Debbie Quinones, the Committee seeks to support the work initiated by Councilwomen Mark-Viverito and El Museo de Barrio to rename East 106th Street in honor of Julia De Burgos.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 9, 2006
Hope Community to Dedicate Community Reading Garden
on the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of the Modesto “Tin” Flores Garden
Event: Dedication ceremony for a new Community Reading Garden in East Harlem that will serve as a venue for poetry and music performances, weddings, and other cultural activities.
Attending: Representatives from Troy-Bilt, the office of NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other local elected officials, Hope Community, Inc., the Council on the Environment of NYC, students from Union Settlement and P.S. 72, and local performers from the Association for Hispanic Arts.
Date: Thursday, May 18 starting at 10:00 am
Location: The Modesto “Tin” Flores Community Garden on the east side of Lexington Avenue just north of 104th Street.
Hope Community is pleased to announce the opening of a new Reading Garden in East Harlem, created through the generosity of the landscaping company Troy-Bilt. The new garden will feature a gazebo, flowers and plants, benches, and walkways. In addition to serving as a venue for readings, it will provide a location for musical performances, weddings, Hope’s annual Poetas con Café series, and many other events.
“The new reading garden will help preserve and enhance this historic community park and create a wonderful setting for neighborhood gatherings,” said Bill Jacoby, Hope Community’s executive director. “It will also serve as an inviting and peaceful setting for children and adults to read and to develop their appreciation of the local environment.
“The community reading garden will be designed and constructed by Troy-Bilt’s expert Landscapes America team, and we are tremendously grateful for this wonderful contribution to East Harlem,” Jacoby added.
Beautiful spaces create beautiful minds,” concurred Heidi Ketvertis of Troy-Bilt, a leader in lawn and garden equipment and a national sponsor of the Keep America Beautiful®’s Great American Cleanup™ program. “Our aim is to inspire. We want to grow the idea of reading gardens across the country.”
Technical assistance for this project is provided by the Council on the Environment of New York City, a privately-funded citizen’s organization located in the Office of the Mayor. CENYC provides environmental awareness through its Greenmarket farmers markets, community gardens, and environmental education programs.
Cultural support is provided by the Association of Hispanic Arts, Inc., a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of Latino arts, artists and arts organizations.
The vest pocket park was first established in August 1981 and later renamed in honor of the late Modesto “Tin” Flores for his many years of service as a business owner, community gardener, and Hope Community superintendent and zone manager.
Other Garden Projects
On Friday, May 19th, volunteers from Credit Suisse and City Year New York will team up with Hope staff and tenants to revamp the agency’s "Harlem Village" garden, located on 117th Street and Second Avenue. The scope of work will include top soil and landscaping, enhancing the outer fence, and installing benches on either side of the garden’s walk-way, and an area for BBQ grilling. Hope’s aim is to develop the park as a suitable center stage location for an uptown “Poetas con Café” cultural program. Refreshments, tools and other materials will be provided courtesy of Credit Suisse.
On Friday, June 2, Hope staff will team with volunteers from the Council on the Environment of New York City and volunteers from Goldman Sachs to work on another community garden at 2030 Lexington Avenue (“La Casita”). Work will include top soiling, planting and painting of existing benches.
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For Immediate Release:
February 2006
HOPE COMMUNITY TO HEAT BUILDINGS WITH LOW-COST VENEZUELAN OIL
In February 2006, Hope Community began receiving heating oil from Citgo, the Venezuelan oil company – at a steep discount. The oil is being provided through an agreement in which Citgo charges Hope 40% less than the wholesale market price, and Hope agrees to pass on the majority of the savings to tenants living in its buildings.
"Hope Community is delighted to be able to work with Citgo to bring discounted fuel oil to East Harlem," said Executive Director William S. Jacoby. "The residents of Hope’s buildings are primarily low and moderate-income families who are particularly vulnerable to the recent dramatic increases in the price of oil and other basic goods. Citgo's generosity is helping these families save money and helping our buildings weather the cost of higher heating bills.”
“The Citgo program stands in sharp contrast to our domestic oil industry's refusal to share windfall profits with low-income communities, and an inspiring example of South-to-North aid,” Jacoby added.
Hope Community, a non-profit community-based organization that has played a major role in the revitalization of East Harlem, owns 13 buildings with more than 250 units that have oil-burning boilers. The buildings may use several hundred gallons of oil during the course of the agreement, which expires in April at the end of the heating season. Hope plans to distribute the majority of the savings to low-income residents of these properties through rent rebates when the program ends.
The program is similar to one announced in December in the Bronx by Rep. Jose Serrano and others set in motion by CITGO in Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and Delaware. In each instance, CITGO works with non-profit organizations to insure that the savings from the discounted oil sales wind up in the pockets of low-income residents.
Congressman Charles Rangel has played a central role in facilitating the project in northern Manhattan. “While most oil companies reap record profits, Americans are crying for help with their rising heating," Rangel said. "Here is a program that makes heat affordable so that no one has to choose between a warm home or a warm plate of food.”
“This expansion of our New York program, along with programs in other states and our unscheduled deliveries of refined gasoline and other fuel in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita to hold down price increases, is part of our effort as good corporate citizens to help Americans who need a helping hand,” said CITGO CEO Felix Rodriguez. CITGO is owned by the Venezuelan state oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA).
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For Immediate Release:
February 23, 2006
HOPE, BLUESTONE PARTNERSHIP PICKED TO DEVELOP AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN EAST HARLEM
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| Hope Community's Nellie Plumey, Robin LeBaron, Stephen Starensier, and William Jacoby were joined by HPD Commissioner Shaun Donovan and Ira Lichtiger and Sara B. Herbstman of the Bluestone Organization during a February 23rd press conference in which Mayor Bloomberg announced the winners of the City's Cornerstone Program which makes publicly-owned land available for affordable housing development. |
A partnership between Hope Community, Inc. and the Bluestone Group was awarded the opportunity to develop 69 units of housing on ten scattered sites in East Harlem. The award was one of several announced by the Bloomberg Administration at a February 23rd press conference for the Cornerstone Program, which makes City-owned land available for affordable housing development.
The project will include 51 units of cooperative for-sale housing, 16 low-income rental units, and one townhouse duplex. Forty percent of the units will be designated for households making between 50% and 80% of the Area Median Income, and another 40% for those between 100% and 130% of AMI.
The project architect, Curtis + Ginsburg, L. P. will incorporate the latest ìgreenî design principles, and the project will qualify for the ìLeeds Silverî rating, which indicates a high level of environmentally friendly and energy-efficient design.
ìHope is tremendously concerned about the rapid gentrification of East Harlemî, said Hope Executive Director Bill Jacoby. ìThe project was designed to conform to Community Board 11 affordability and design guidelines. Three-quarters of the units will have two or three bedrooms to meet the needs of families; at least half will be set aside for East Harlem residents.î
The Bluestone Group is a full-service real estate development company with experience and expertise in site selection, planning, financing, construction, marketing and management of residential and mixed use properties throughout the Metropolitan New York area.
Hope Community is a non-profit community-controlled development corporation dedicated to the revitalization of East Harlem since 1968. It has redeveloped 70 buildings and has 1100 apartments under management, and offers an array of community-building programs.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 5, 2006
HOPE COMMUNITY TO CELEBRATE THREE KINGS DAY
WITH INTERACTIVE ARTS AND FOLKLORIC TRADITIONS
WHO/WHAT: Hope Community staff and tenants will celebrate Three Kings Day with an interactive art exhibit, musical performances, and a holiday dinner at its Carlos Rios Seniors Residence in East Harlem.
 WHEN/WHERE:
Friday, January 6th, from 6:00 – 8:30 pm
Carlos Rios Seniors Residence
335 East 105th Street
(Between First & Second Aves.)
After taking part in el Museo del Barrio’s 29th Annual Three Kings Parade, Hope Community, Inc. will continue the festivities with an evening dinner for senior tenants. During the celebration, renowned Puerto Rican artist Diogenes Ballester will unveil his latest multi-media work, “La Promesa de Mi Tía Ketty” (“The Promise of My Aunt Ketty”). Ballester’s installation, which is made up of five woodcuts designed with a typical Three Kings theme, will be shown for one night only at Carlos Rios.
In addition to exhibiting his artwork, Ballester will also engage in traditional Three Kings activities – such as delivering an oral history; singing typical prayers (“rosarios”) to the Three Kings (Melchor, Gaspar & Balthazar), and encouraging Carlos Rios seniors and other attendees to share their stories (and “promesas”).
Hope Board Chairman, photographer Roger Cabán, will then join Diogenes Ballester and other East Harlem artists at another art exhibit, “Los Muchachos del Barrio.” The show, at Bonito Restaurant in East Harlem, will run to February 16 and will also include works by local artists Fernando Salicrup, Franklin Flores, and Marcos Dimas.
ABOUT HOPE COMMUNITY, INC.
Hope Community, Inc. is a nonprofit housing development agency founded in 1968 which is committed to building better communities and enriching the lives of the people who live and work within East Harlem. To date Hope Community, Inc. has rehabilitated and/or developed 72 buildings, and creating over 1,200 units of affordable housing for local residents. Hope Community, Inc. also provides community-based social service referrals and assists in the development of tenant organizations to help ensure that residents have a voice and vested interest in their future as well as their community. For more information about Hope Community, Inc. call (212) 860-8821.
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