Christine Quinn and 127 West 25th Street (building source: PropertyShark)
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn is attempting to block the July opening of a 328-bed homeless shelter in Chelsea, according to DNAinfo. The 12-story facility at 127 West 25th Street was built primarily to house 200 New Yorkers with a history of mental illness, while also providing space for a reception center and for victims of substance abuse. But Quinn penned letters to Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the New York State Commisioner of Temporary and Disability Assistance, Elizabeth Berlin, saying the shelter, named the Bowery Residents Committee, does not comply with local zoning laws. The size of the shelter has brought controversy to the site for nearly a year — culminating in a lawsuit last fall — and local residents, led by the Chelsea Flatiron Coalition, have long been opposed to the proposal. The Bowery Residents Committee began giving tours of the building to community members last week, in an effort to counter the opposition. Bloomberg and the New York State Commissioner were not reached for comment. [DNAinfo]