Brewer, Chin urge city to halt controversial Rivington House condo project

Pols wrote letter criticizing process that led to pending conversion of nursing home into condos

Rivington House, Margaret Chin and Gale Brewer
Rivington House, Margaret Chin and Gale Brewer

A pair of local politicians are trying to get the city to stop construction on the condo conversion of Rivington House.

Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and Council member Margaret Chin sent a joint letter to Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen this week asking her to put a hold on permits from the Department of Buildings at 45 Rivington Street, according to the Lo-Down. The letter describes the loss of the site’s former nursing home as “a devastating blow to our constituents” and says the two pols “remain deeply concerned about a flawed city process that has paved the way for the closure, sale, and now potential conversion of this building into luxury condos.”

The letter also criticizes the lack of a public meeting to discuss the site’s future.

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Although Mayor Bill de Blasio has said it was a mistake for his administration to lift deed restrictions at Rivington House, he has also said the city cannot legally take back the building. His administration contends that a proposed Norfolk Street senior housing project and a new Gouverneur Health nursing wing will help make up for the loss of the 219-bed nursing facility at Rivington House, but those projects were already in the works before the Rivington House scandal.

Slate Property Group, which is spearheading the condo conversion, filed applications with the DOB on Feb. 9 to convert the site into condos. On Feb. 15, the work permit was rejected over incomplete drawings. [The Lo-Down]Eddie Small