Another Landmarked Harlem Building Demolished Due To Neglect

HARLEM, NY — A landmarked rowhouse in the heart of Central Harlem was demolished by the city in recent days after it fell into a dangerous state of disrepair, the latest in a series of such teardowns that have raised the ire of neighborhood preservationists.

After a November inspection found it was at risk of collapsing onto the sidewalk, the city tore down the three-story building at 186 Lenox Ave., which had stood since 1887 between West 119th and 120th streets.

Decay had plagued the building and its twin townhouse next door at 188 Lenox Ave. for at least a decade, as the windows of both structures were boarded up and their upper floors appeared empty. Since at least 2017, the ceiling of 186 had been caved in, leaving the sky visible through its third-floor windows.

"During our recent inspections in November, we found that the chimney had shifted to the side and was now in danger of immediate collapse, coping stones at the roof level [had] fallen on to neighboring properties, the interior floors inside the building collapsed, and as a result, the building was found to be no longer structurally stable," said Ryan Degan, a spokesperson for the Department of Buildings, in an email.

The townhouse's owner, listed as Cheryl Y. Johnson, ignored orders to make repairs after the dangerous conditions were found last year, Degan said.

The block sits within the Mount Morris Park Historic District, which in theory would prevent all buildings inside it from demolition. But the city has only so much ability to force private property owners to make repairs before demolishing buildings once they become unsafe.

Indeed, residents have been complaining for years about dangerous conditions at 186 Lenox — including falling glass and bricks, collapsed roof framing, unstable walls, and damage from Hurricane Ida last year, city records show. In September 2021, the Department of Buildings issued a full vacate order, though the townhouse had already been vacant for more than 10 years.

By November of this year, no repairs had been made since the previous year, Degan said. By Nov. 17, the city issued an emergency violation reading simply: "fully demolish the building."

Johnson has owned the townhouse since 2001, and has racked up tens of thousands of dollars in violations since 2012, city records show. Attempts to reach her for comment Monday were unsuccessful.

Similar teardowns have sparked alarm among Harlem's preservationists in recent months. Last year, the city demolished a century-old home on 130th Street's landmarked "Astor Row" after suing its owner in an unsuccessful bid to force repairs; that process repeated itself in July, when the city tore down a landmarked brick building on Convent Avenue in Hamilton Heights whose owner had likewise allowed it to decay.

And in April, the city was forced to wipe clean the facade of another landmarked townhouse on St. Nicholas Avenue after debris began crumbling from it.

"Over the years, we as a community have worked vigorously and be extremely vigilant to protect and to preserve the historic integrity of the area," said Laurent Delly, a past vice-president of the Mount Morris Park Community Improvement Association, in an email.

While the city called the teardown a necessary step for public safety, Delly said neighbors want to know why demolition was the only option left — and fear that more historic buildings could be next. Indeed, it is unclear what the future will hold for the rest of the block, as the next-door townhouse at 188 Lenox and its own neighbor at 190 are also in disrepair.

"Is this a precedent for other shells to be destroyed in the district without community engagement?" Delly said.

Related coverage:

• Landmarked Harlem Home To Be Demolished After Years Of Decay
• Landmarked Harlem Building Will Be Torn Down Due To Neglect
  
• Harlem Townhouse Sealed Off After Repeated Collapses, City Says
• Historic 125th Street Bank Building To Be Demolished By Developer