Tuesday, July 10, 2025
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
1 CE AIA Credit
Join HDC for an in-depth look at the ongoing rehabilitation and restoration of the individually landmarked Harlem River Houses. Built in 1937, Harlem River Houses was the first federally funded public housing development created for working-class African Americans in the United States under the New Deal’s Public Works Administration. Designed by architect Archibald Manning Brown with John Louis Wilson Jr, the 8-acre campus encompasses 7 buildings and 577 apartments.
As part of the NYCHA PACT conversion process, Settlement Housing Fund and West Harlem Group Assistance were selected by NYCHA in 2020 to renovate and upgrade Harlem River Houses, along with the adjacent 116-unit high-rise built in 1964 known as Harlem River II. The $245-million-dollar, award-winning renovation includes updated apartment units with new kitchens, baths, floors, and windows, as well as new systems building-wide, including fully electrified heating and cooling. The exterior and landscape features are also being fully restored, with approval from the Landmarks Preservation Commission. This includes an ambitious plan to both restore and create new public art, an integral part of the campus since its completion. After more than 3 years of construction, the renovation work at Harlem River is now nearly complete.
The tour will be led by representatives from Settlement Housing Fund, the lead developer for Harlem River and a nonprofit organization which has worked to create and sustain high-quality affordable housing since 1969, as well as a representative from the preservation architects, Curtis + Ginsberg. This exclusive visit will offer a look both inside and outside the buildings to understand how they are being preserved and updated to provide needed affordable housing for the next generation of residents.
This program is part of HDC’s 2025 Conference series, Challenges and Opportunities for Historic Affordable Housing.
Friend of HDC / Senior $15; General Admission $20; AIA Credit $30
