City steps in to repair decaying Harlem buildings

From left: 590-593 Riverside Drive, 49 St. Nicholas Terrace and 608 West 139th Street
From left: 590-593 Riverside Drive, 49 St. Nicholas Terrace and 608 West 139th Street

WEEKENDEDITION In Upper Manhattan, 19 buildings have been tapped for the city’s Alternative Enforcement Program, which fixes decaying buildings on the taxpayer’s dime, until slumlords can pay up.

The worst offender in the city is 593 Riverside Associates, which owns three buildings in Harlem at 590-593 Riverside Drive, 49 St. Nicholas Terrace and 608 West 139th Street.

The cost of fixes at 590-593 Riverside Drive alone surpassed $108,000, making it the costliest city funded repair bill in Manhattan.

Sign Up for the undefined Newsletter

By signing up, you agree to TheRealDeal Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.

Once a building is selected for the program, city inspectors can order large-scale repairs and landlords are required to meet stringent benchmarks, according to the New York Daily News.

Of the 19 buildings currently selected for the program, all are above 96th Street. [NYDN] Christopher Cameron