Violations & compliance · Permits & development · Deals & development · 10/21/2026
HPD hearing on proposed city acquisition: MEC B Center, Manhattan
HPD has proposed that the City acquire Block 1790, Lot 12 in Manhattan, plus the beds of any streets in the Area, under the Harlem East Harlem Urban Renewal Plan. HPD says the acquisition is needed to carry out the Plan's renewal program. A public phone hearing is set for November 23, 2026 at 10:00 a.m.
CPublished by The City RecordRead the original ↗
What happened
The NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) has proposed that the City acquire a property in Manhattan. The notice, titled "MEC B Center," was published in The City Record on October 21, 2026. The property is identified only by its tax map number: Block 1790, Lot 12. The acquisition would also include the beds of any streets in the area.
The parcel is in the Harlem East Harlem Urban Renewal Area. The area runs from roughly West 127th and East 133rd Streets on the north to the West 110th to East 107th Street range on the south, with the Harlem River on the east. HPD says the acquisition is needed to carry out the renewal program in the Harlem East Harlem Urban Renewal Plan. The notice links to the plan document, which is labeled as the sixteenth amended plan, second minor change.
A public hearing is set for November 23, 2026 at 10:00 a.m., or as soon after as the item is reached on the calendar. It will be held by conference call at 1-646-992-2010, access code 2330 155 3512. Anyone who wants to speak will have a chance to be heard. The notice is issued under Section 506 of the General Municipal Law and Section 1804 of the City Charter.
The notice does not give a street address, a price, the current owner, or what the City plans to do with the site.
Key facts
- Agency
- NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD)
- Action
- Proposed City acquisition of real property
- Property
- Block 1790, Lot 12, Manhattan, plus beds of any streets in the area
- Urban renewal area
- Harlem East Harlem Urban Renewal Area
- Hearing date
- November 23, 2026, 10:00 a.m.
- How to join
- Call 1-646-992-2010, access code 2330 155 3512
- Legal basis
- General Municipal Law Section 506 and City Charter Section 1804
- Accommodations
- Contact MOCS at [email protected] or (212) 788-0010 at least three business days before the hearing
What it means
Buyers and owners
Owners with an interest in Block 1790, Lot 12, or nearby property in the urban renewal area, can call in on November 23 to put their views on the record. Check the plan document to see how it treats your block.
Tenants and voucher holders
The notice does not say whether anyone lives or works at the site. If you rent at this lot, the hearing is your chance to ask questions and speak.
Caseworkers
If a client lives or receives services at Block 1790, Lot 12, flag the November 23 hearing. Requests for interpreters or other accommodations go to MOCS at least three business days ahead.
The highlights
- The hearing is November 23, 2026 at 10:00 a.m., held by phone at 1-646-992-2010.
- The parcel is Block 1790, Lot 12, in the Harlem East Harlem Urban Renewal Area.
- Accommodation requests go to MOCS at least three business days before the hearing.
Why it matters
Owners and neighbors in the Harlem East Harlem Urban Renewal Area can weigh in before the City acquires this lot.
What to do: Call 1-646-992-2010, access code 2330 155 3512, on November 23 to be heard.
Not known yet
- The street address of Block 1790, Lot 12 and what currently stands there
- Who owns the property now and what the City would pay
- What the City plans to build or run on the site after acquiring it
- Whether any tenants or occupants would be affected and on what timeline
Background
Urban renewal plans are City-approved plans that set land uses and redevelopment goals for a defined area. Under state law, a city generally holds a public hearing before acquiring property to carry out such a plan. The acquisition can happen by negotiated purchase or by condemnation under the state's Eminent Domain Procedure Law. After a hearing, a proposal usually moves through further City approvals before any acquisition is completed.
Summary written by Bulwark from the The City Record’s announcement. The original story is at a856-cityrecord.nyc.gov. This is general information, not legal advice.
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Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0