More on the East Harlem Media, Entertainment and Cultural Center

According to a press release from the New York Economic Development Fund the development will include:

* 30,000 square feet of cultural space celebrating East Harlem’s unique and diverse cultural heritage;
* More than 800 total housing units, 600 of which will be affordable to individuals or families with moderate or middle incomes;
* A mid-block public plaza;
* A minimum of 24,000 square feet of landscaped open space;
* 50,000 square feet of retail space reserved for locally-owned businesses at below market rents;
* 250,000 square feet of class A office space;
* A 98,000-square-foot hotel; and,
* A $10 million local investment fund to assist small businesses and entrepreneurs that locate in the new development.

What do you think? Would you want to live in this complex?

East Harlem Media, Entertainment and Cultural Center

A massive $700 million project has broken ground on 125th St and 3rd Ave in East Harlem. GlobeSt and Curbed report that the East Harlem Media, Entertainment and Cultural Center has started construction. The multi-use building will have 800 housing units, a cultural center, office space, retail space for local business and more. The building is expected to be LEED certified.

At the start of construction, GlobeSt quoted Mayor Bloomberg saying, Today's groundbreaking, along with the other projects taking shape along 125th Street, are helping sustain the momentum of Harlem's ongoing renaissance. This major multi-use development –– a major investment and show of confidence in Harlem's future –– will serve the community in a variety of important ways: by creating needed affordable housing, valuable community and cultural space, and new office and retail space. Most importantly in today's economy, it will create thousands of permanent and construction jobs.”