P.S. 64 Developer Files Federal Lawsuit, Claiming Conspiracy to Block Dorm Plan
Rendering of student dorm proposal at 605 East Ninth St.
Developer Gregg Singer has filed a federal lawsuit in his continuing battle to create a student dormitory at the former P.S. 64 building on East Ninth Street.
In the lawsuit, the Wall Street Journal (subscription required) reports, Singer is claiming a conspiracy by local elected officials, a powerful neighbor (Aaron Sosnick) and the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, a vocal opponent of the development plans.
In 1998, the city sold the building to Singer for $3.3 million, a move that eventually lead to the eviction of the CHARAS/El Bohio Community Center. The Department of Buildings has declined to approve construction permits, saying that the developer has, “failed to submit sufficient proof that the building would be used as a student dormitory.” Former City Councilmember Rosie Mendez was a fierce opponent of the dorm plan. Singer campaigned against Carlina Rivera this past fall, who was elected to succeed Mendez in the City Council.
During a town hall meeting in October, Mayor De Blasio announced that the city would seek to “re-aquire” the building, but the administration has not spelled out how it would go about doing that.