National Urban League back in Harlem big time
Since its founding in Harlem in 1910, the National Urban League (NUL) and the legendary community have had an intimate and productive relationship. Those ties will soon be deepened because plans are underway for a huge building project on 125th Street that will be the future home of the NUL.
The plans for the project, which is another key piece in the ever-increasing building boom in Harlem, were announced by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Tuesday.
Cuomo said the project is part of Harlem’s ongoing renaissance. “It will create jobs, build on the community’s rich arts and cultural history, and attract new investments and opportunities,” the governor said in a press release.
Mayor Bloomberg was equally ecstatic about the new development and explained that it will be more than just the headquarters for NUL. “[The NUL] will be an important piece of the area’s ongoing revitalization, celebrating Harlem’s rich history while generating critical economic activity that will ensure its even brighter future,” he said in a statement.
With the headquarters at the center, the 42,000 square foot complex will include a conference center, retail, affordable housing, public parking and a museum chronicling the urban civil rights experience. There will be 114 rental units, half of which will be affordable, and the public parking garage will have 225 spaces.
“As we undertake our own building project in Harlem, we feel even more closely entwined with the city we love,” said Marc Morial, president and CEO of the NUL. “We are grateful for the support of Gov. Cuomo, Mayor Bloomberg and numerous elected officials and community leaders in this endeavor.”
Morial, who was out of town on business, also extended his appreciation to Meredith Marshall, managing partner and founder of BRP Development Corp., and his team for putting the proposal together. Another partner in the enterprise is Hudson Companies, and the groundbreaking is slated for 2015.
Congressman Charles Rangel expressed his excitement about the project, noting that the NUL and the revitalization of the property “has the potential to bring much-needed jobs and new investment to the cultural center of Harlem.” And the plan to create the first civil rights museum in New York was of particular interest to him.
“I am pleased that one of the foremost advocates of the urban agenda, the National Urban League, will be returning to the community where it was initially established,” said Council Member Inez E. Dickens. “Furthermore, this public/private sector project will produce an attractive cultural bonus that will reinforce and enrich Harlem international reputation as one of the major worldwide cultural destinations.”
By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews