Park 79 to be Converted Into Senior Homes

A historic building on the UWS will soon be turned into senior housing.

On Oct. 19, Fairstead and Project FIND reached an agreement to flip Park 79 Hotel on the Upper West Side into 77 affordable residences for seniors.

Construction on the building, 117 West 79th Street, is expected to begin in the coming weeks. The property will remain affordable for seniors for at least the next 60 years through a regulatory agreement with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation & Development.

“At a moment when the need for high-quality affordable housing for New York’s seniors couldn’t be more urgent, we are beyond proud to break ground on creating 77 deeply affordable residences for seniors right in the heart of the Upper West Side,” said Will Blodgett, founding partner of Fairstead. “We pride ourselves in creating and preserving high-quality affordable housing in high-opportunity areas, and it’s so gratifying to provide these homes for seniors just steps from Central Park, the Museum of Natural History and the JCC. The revamped building will have great amenities for residents, but the neighborhood itself will really be its greatest amenity.”

Energy Efficient

The seven-story building, designed in the Renaissance Revival is located in view of the Museum of Natural History. The units will be available to seniors aged 62 and older at incomes up to 40 and 50 percent of Area Median Income.

The renovation will include the addition of meeting rooms, a communal kitchen, a state of the art indoor/outdoor community space, with fast free Wi-Fi, high-quality ventilation and energy efficient lighting and appliances.

Project FIND will provide a host of on-site social services, including two full-time social workers to oversee tenant case management and supportive counseling, community building activities and programming and connections to cultural, spiritual and recreational activities in the neighborhood.

City Council Member Helen Rosenthal praised the plans for senior housing.

“The reinvention of this neighborhood architectural gem to offer deeply affordable housing for seniors is exactly the kind of project our neighborhood and city needs right now,” Rosenthal said. “Our seniors are some of our most vulnerable residents – and thoughtful projects like this ensure they can age safely in place in one of the best neighborhoods anywhere.”