DOJ Sues Avalon Chrystie Place Over Violations

The mammoth Avalon Chrystie Place rental building on Chrystie, between Houston and Stanton, is facing a federal lawsuit from the Department of Justice. The DOJ accuses developer AvalonBay Communities of, per the NY Times, "illegally discriminating against disabled people by failing to provide them with sufficient access at a 361-unit rental building on the Lower East Side."

The building, which ushered in a new era of large, modern apartment buildings to the formerly "gritty" Bowery, with amenities and retail offerings like a Whole Foods on the first floor, opened in 2005, with rents around $2850 for a one-bedroom (now it's more like $3895). DOJ's issue is that there are no "routes into and through dwellings, reinforcements in bathroom walls to allow the installation of grab bars, and kitchens and bathrooms usable by a person in a wheelchair.” The lawsuit also notes SLCE Architects in it.

The DOJ says the case is "the government’s first lawsuit in Manhattan alleging violations of the Fair Housing Act in the design and construction of multifamily housing.” AvalonBay says the building "was designed and constructed, and is operated, with a view to full compliance with all accessibility codes and laws."

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By Jen Chung in News on August 14, 2008 9:08 AM

Comments [rss]

Brainwash

Wait, disabled people live in the LES?

paolo mastrangelo

ok coo. so looks like jen jen and jake have their next project.

yknow, i ask about info like that because i just had a friend of a friend move into harlem. and she is paying a lot of money to share a two bedroom. like, def getting gouged. a cursory look around shows similar situations varying in price from 550 to 1500. So like, who pays the 1500, when you could pay 600? what is the story behind that? (yah, assuming the places are similar)

so i asked about her choice, "why? did you look around? cause prices vary so wildly, you dont really need to pay more then you want to. you can get a nice two bedroom for 12-1500. whats so special about this apt.?"

and the response was that she understands she could have done some due diligence and found a similar place, or better, for less. but she needed an apt soon, and didnt want to be bothered spending the time looking around and seeing what the market was. she just wanted an apt, and to get settled in, and not be bothered.

so like, yah, i get that. but it seems like there is a heavy cost for that. $$ wise and to the community. shes paying about 5-600 more a month then she needs to, plus the broker fees she paid. so add that up. ten thou extra in one year, basically for convenience, because it was easier. and yah, i guess thats anyone's right. but their are def repercussions for market and for the community of people in the 'hood, and im not sure if thats ok.

10,000$ more then you have to, because you didnt or couldnt look around and go see places and check CL and make calls and talk to the super next door and the neighbors and what have you.

And what about the cost to the 'hood? All of a sudden, someone comes in and in one fell swoop, pays more than $10,000 a year then they need to for rent. Hows that for skweing the housing market, and potentially really fukng your neighbors?

and jus fyi, this girl doesnt have money for this.

so its being subsidized. by the parents. by people who do not have any stake in the community, cept for their child who lives there.

so like, this is all totally fukd and not right.

she gets fukd. but she doesnt feel it cause her parents help subsidize it. she in turns, skews the market and fuks the 'hood. but no one needs to see it. she has a nice apt. and she didnt have to "be bothered" its not really any prob for her. but what about everyone else?

im just not sure how ok that is.

JMH

Agreed with #5 and #6 - I really don't know who it is that's willing to pay $4,000 for a one-bedroom, no matter how conveniently located it is.

NannyState

Who can afford to live in this building? Other landlords!

TKaisen

#5: That would be amazing. I have often looked through the rental ads and asked myself "who the frick pays $4000 for that much space?"

I'd be fascinated to know. Like... who are these people? I hear rumors they exist but I don't know any.

paolo mastrangelo

"with rents around $2850 for a one-bedroom (now it's more like $3895)."

thats kinda weird. it might be a bit more weird that ppl are paying that. you know what would be a great story? the Times should interview and analyze everyone in a building like that, and get the story about how each got the apt. like, how long were they looking, where did they come from, how many places they saw, why they picked this one, what are they doing here, age, sex, etc...etc...

im curious to see what kind of picture, if any, would develop.

Giulia Pines

With rents like that the DOJ should be slapping them with a lawsuit for discriminating against ALL. HUMAN. BEINGS.

sinisterteashop

More troublesome is the idea of wheelchair dependent people negotiating those death-trap intersections on Houston at 2nd and Bowery.

kurteye

Hahahaha...no "reinforcements in bathroom walls to allow the installation of grab bars".

So this place is built out of sheetrock and glue? Gasp!