The builders behind the Elizabeth St. Backyard reasonably priced housing venture are rebuffing a name to drop their lawsuit in opposition to Mayor Adams and his prime aide, Randy Mastro, who’ve of their closing days in workplace been attempting fervently to dam the long-stalled housing plan.
The builders, Pennrose Properties, Habitat for Humanity and RiseBoro, filed the go well with final month to problem the Adams administration’s determination to designate Nolita’s Elizabeth St. Backyard as “parkland,” a transfer that’d make development within the house near not possible. The designation struck a critical blow to “Haven Green,” a venture Pennrose, Habitat and RiseBoro had been first picked for years in the past and which entails constructing 123 completely reasonably priced flats for senior residents on the positioning of town government-owned backyard, whereas retaining a few of the inexperienced house.
Adams was for years an enormous supporter of Haven Inexperienced, however reversed himself and got here out in opposition to it after naming Mastro, who has ties to outstanding opponents of the event, as his first deputy mayor in spring 2025.
First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro speaks throughout a press convention alongside Mayor Eric Adams at Metropolis Corridor on Friday, Aug. 22, 2025 in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams/ New York Each day Information)
Earlier this week, Mastro despatched a letter to the builders saying Adams’ administration was keen to supply them one other metropolis government-owned web site to develop housing on, at 22 Suffolk St., in the event that they agreed to drop their lawsuit by midday Wednesday, the mayor’s closing day in workplace.
As an example, Salmons famous the Suffolk St. web site would want to endure a wholly new land use software, a course of that may take years, earlier than shovels might hit the bottom. Against this, development might begin instantly on the Elizabeth St. Backyard web site.
Maybe extra importantly, Salmons wrote his group hopes Zohran Mamdani, who was set to be sworn in as mayor at midnight Wednesday, will attempt to rescind the Adams administration’s parkland designation and permit the unique Haven Inexperienced venture to proceed.
“Ultimately, the new administration should have the opportunity to determine whether to issue a designation letter, how to address the legal issues surrounding the Elizabeth Street site, and how best to accomplish a feasible, sustainable, and trustworthy affordable housing plan for the city,” the letter said. “We remain committed to working collaboratively with the city to deliver high-quality affordable housing in an appropriate and legally sound path forward.”
The Elizabeth Avenue Backyard is pictured in 2024. (Barry Williams for New York Each day Information)
In response to Salmons’ missive, Mastro assailed the builders for pursuing “a frivolous lawsuit over a site that has already been designated parkland and that they have no chance of reversing.”
“Shame on them,” he added.
Throughout the mayoral marketing campaign, Mamdani promised to reverse Adams’ blockade of the Elizabeth St. Backyard growth and transfer ahead with constructing it. After the parkland designation, although, Mamdani mentioned such a transfer had develop into “nearly impossible.” A spokeswoman for Mamdani didn’t instantly return a request for touch upon Salmons’ letter.
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani speaks throughout a press convention at Elmhurst Medical Heart the place he introduced the appointments of Steve Banks, Helen Arteaga and Ramzi Kassem, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025, in Queens, New York. (Barry Williams/ New York Each day Information)
Opponents of the Elizabeth St. Backyard redevelopment say it will damage a cherished inexperienced house. Supporters, together with Adams himself at one level, have famous the Haven Inexperienced venture would nonetheless depart a few of the backyard intact, whereas making room for much-needed senior housing in a neighborhood that has produced little of it in latest many years.
