Harlem housing complex going green

Rose Smart Growth Investment Fund has bought 10 six-story buildings
at 107-145 West 135th Street,
and plans to transform them into environmentally friendly properties.
The buildings, between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard and Lenox Avenue, are comprised of 198 units
of affordable housing and 4,500 square feet of retail space. Jonathan Rose,
founder of Rose Smart Growth, said the fund plans to invest $4 million in building improvements over the
next two years, which include replacing oil boilers, weather-stripping
windows, and using non-toxic paints and recycling waste. Rose estimates the
improvements will lower operating costs by 10 percent within a year.