Central Park Plaza Condominium, 1845 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard: Review and Ratings

Review of 1845 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard by Carter Horsley

Marketing started in the summer of 2009 for the condominium conversion of the apartment buildings at 1845 and 1851 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard on the northeast corner of 112th Street.

The very handsome, 6-story, pre-war buildings, which are known now as Central Park Plaza Condominium, have one-story limestone bases and quoins, white window surrounds, cornices, a five-step-up entrance and fire escapes.

They were acquired in 2000 for about $2.6 million by Central Park North LLC of which Yusuf and David Bildirici were principals who sold them four years later for $8.1 million to Tahl-Propp Associates, which was formed in 1997 by Rodney Propp and Joseph Tahl,

The buildings have an attractive, attended lobby, a roof deck and concierge service by Abigail Michaels. The building s website said that a fitness center, storage rooms and bicycle storage are "expected to be completed by December 31, 2015" in the buldings's lower level.

The 24 apartments have crown and base moldings and all renovated apartments have a Bosch washer and dryer, and open kitchens with Subzero refrigerators. Bathrooms have glass-enclosed showers and soft-close toilets and wall-mounted double basins.

Israel Peles is the architect for the conversion.

An article by Robert Neuwirth in the August 11, 2008 edition of City Limits Weekly said that "for years, the tenants queried Tahl about his plans, and he told them one thing was sure: he did not intend to convert the buildings into a condominium." "Then," the article continued, "in late 2006, he told the tenants that he was going to sell the apartments as condos." The article quoted Mr. Tahl as stating that the statements were correct when he made them, adding that the average cost of each apartment in the non-eviction plan conversion ranges from about $950,000 to $1,150,000.

"Long-time residents of 1845 and 1851 Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard," according to Mr. Newirth's article, "have a galling story to tell about the buildings. Back in the mid-1960s, both 1845 and 1851 were temporarily taken by the city for unpaid taxes. The tenants, working with a city-appointed administrator, took over the management, pooling the rent money to make repairs and putting in sweat equity to cut costs....But just before the city as set to vest the property, another company paid the back tax bill and the city returned it to its owners. The tenants fought the case in court, arguing that this precedent of allowing third parties to pay off the tax debt would enable developers who were interested in picking up foreclosed buildings on the cheap to swoop in and take control of foreclosed buildings for the cost of the back taxes. They lost their case, and lost control of the building."

The article said that Mr. Tahl lives with his wife and three children in an apartment on the top floor of 1851 Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard and that he said he liked "the idea of people of different backgrounds living in the same building," adding that he thought "that's a more worthwhile way of providing affordable housing."