Who We Are

Find out about our group and why we're working to save the original P.S. 64/CHARAS building

The East Village Community Coalition (EVCC) is a broad-based coalition dedicated to saving one of the East Village's most cherished treasures, 605 East 9th Street. (Block 392, Lot 10) Originally P.S. 64, this building later housed the community center, CHARAS/El Bohio. We also seek to return the building to the community as the future Armando Perez Community and Cultural Center.

The EVCC has attracted a broad range of individuals, organizations and local businesses. Our group supports the requests of Councilmember Margarita Lopez and Community Board President David McWater to designate the old P.S. 64 as an individual landmark of the city of New York, and we support the unanimous decision of Manhattan Community Board 3 to seek the return of P.S. 64 - CHARAS/El Bohio to the Community. The EVCC is vehemently oppposed to the construction of a 19-story, transient "dormitory," housing approximately 850 students, proposed by 9th and 10th Street L.L.C. and its president Gregg Singer, and designed by Beyer Blinder Belle. We support the architectural and historical merit of P.S. 64 and urgently request the calendaring and designation of P.S. 64 as the landmark it is rightfully entitled to be, and we're determined to hold the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission accountable for the building's preservation.

Neighborhood residents have sent more than 5000 postcards to Mayor Bloomberg, gathered thousands of names on petitions, sent more than 2000 letters to the Landmarks Commission, and held numerous rallies and commmunity meetings to support landmark status for P.S. 64 and to stop the construction of the project developed by the Singer Financial Corporation. Additionally, U.S. Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, State Senator Martin Connor, Assemblyman Steven Sanders, City Council Woman Margarita López and the Community Board 3 of Manhattan all support landmarking this building and are opposed to the future presence of a dormitory in the community. (See copies of these letters.)

Based on the architectural, historical, and social merit of the building -- and the overwhelming outcry from both elected officials and community residents -- the New York City Landmarks Preservation Committee needs to immediately award landmark status to P.S. 64. We will continue our efforts until this happens.