‘Angel’ buyer saves
Boys’ Club building
At a rally in fall 2018 outside the E. 10th St. Boys’ Club, City Councilmember
Carlina Rivera, left, and state Senator Brad Hoylman,
right, called for deferring the building’s planned sale.
BY GABE HERMAN
After the Boys’ Club of New York
put its historic Harriman Clubhouse
up for sale last year, there
was an outcry from locals and concern
that the building would become just
more new luxury condos, further gentrifying
the East Village.
But an anonymous buyer has reportedly
come to the rescue, buying the
building at E. 10th St. and Avenue A
for $32 million — with plans to keep it
as a community space.
The Harrison Clubhouse has served
youth in the East Village and Lower
East Side since 1901, helping around 1
million boys and young men. Last year,
the Boys’ Club trustees put the building
up for sale without seeking much
input from the community. They said
there had been declining attendance in
recent years, though minutes from the
organization showed attendance at the
facility had actually been increasing.
Last fall, local politicians, Community
Board 3 members and residents
rallied outside the 50,000-square-foot
building, calling for postponement of
the sale.
“We must do everything within our
power to make sure that the clubhouse
building can continue to be a resource
for youth in our community,” said Assemblymember
Harvey Epstein at the
time. “We cannot allow our community
assets to be sold to the highest bidder
and turned into market-rate housing
that gentrifi es our neighborhood.”
But now a wealthy individual, who
wishes to remain anonymous, has
bought the building through a foundation,
which intends to keep it for community
use, Crain’s fi rst reported.
“The goal is to keep this as a community
facility,” Paul Wolf, a real estate
FILE PHOTO
broker who represents the foundation,
told Crain’s. “The intent is to sell it to a
nonprofi t at a lower price than the purchase
price.”
St. Brigid’s Church, nearby on Avenue
B, was also saved in recent years
by an angel investor, who gave $20 million
for renovations to save the building
from destruction. The church reopened
in 2013.
As for the Harriman Clubhouse, state
Senator Brad Hoylman expressed gratitude
after the anonymous purchase.
“Whoever this angel investor is, I
want to thank them on behalf of our
community,” Holyman said in a statement.
“They are saving a century-old
community facility from being converted
into luxury condos or a high-priced
hotel, which sadly has been the real estate
narrative for the East Village.
“While I wish the Boys’ Club had
never put the Harriman Clubhouse
on the open market in the fi rst place,”
Hoylman continued, “I’m grateful to
them for fi nding this angel investor that
will allow young people and families in
our community to continue to benefi t
from this splendid facility.
“I’m hopeful that the unnamed foundation
will work with Community
Board 3, elected offi cials and other local
stakeholders to ensure that community
organizations have a place in the
new building, and that the Boys’ Club,
which is reportedly taking space in the
building, will decide to stay in this location
and continue to provide the essential
services it offers to boys and young
men.”
Hoylman was among the local politicians
who rallied last fall for deferring
the building’s sale, along with Epstein,
Manhattan Borough President Gale
Brewer and City Councilmember Carlina
Rivera.
Schneps Media CNW July 25, 2019 9