DJ Kool Herc Helps Tenants Of 1520 Sedgwick Save Birthplace Of Hip-Hop
Published: Sunday - January 13, 2008

The Legendary DJ Kool Herc, US Senator Charles Schumer, and the tenants of 1520 Sedgwick Avenue will hold a special press conference on Tuesday (January 15) to unveil a plan to acquire the community room at the address, which is widely known as the birthplace of hip-hop.

According to a report from ThugLifeArmy, Kool Herc and the aforementioned people including the low income tenants will make a bid to preserve the complex as affordable tenant-controlled housing.

The conference, which takes place at 10 a.m. in the community room, will detail the current residents' financial and long term ownership plan for the preservation of the legendary landmark.

In 1973, DJ Kool Herc held a party in the community room of 1520 Sedgwick Ave where his innovative DJ style laid the ground work for the inception of the music genre known as hip-hop. The 100-unit apartment complex also boasts another distinction; it is one of the few remaining affordable housing complexes in the West Bronx, created through the NY State Mitchell-Lama program.

In February 2007, tenants received notices that the complex will be taken out of the affordable housing program following a sale to a private investment group.

Since the sale, tenants have been actively working to preserve both the cultural and affordable character of the building. In July 2007, the project was officially designated as eligible for listing on the State and National Register of Historic Places as the official birthplace of hip-hop. The formal recognition is long overdue, but may not be enough to preserve the project's current affordability status.

The first indication that a preservation outcome for 1520 Sedgwick could be viable came last month when the owner/proposed buyer of 1520 Sedgwick offered to step out of the deal and let residents purchase the project. However, the sale is difficult for the tenants because of the inflated value of real estate throughout New York City.

The City of New York has been committed to preserving existing affordable Mitchell-Lama developments, and is working closely with the tenants of 1520 Sedgwick to assist them with the preservation proposal.

HPD and HDC have tentatively committed several million dollars in subsidy to advance the tenants' plan.

Source-ballerstatus

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