A controversial development that would have included East Harlem’s first upscale hotel has been sent packing by the city’s Housing Department.
The planning for the complex, dubbed Avant Caribe, was funded by Benito Fernandez, who records show has a history of misusing public funds, violating labor laws, partnering with criminals and running a nursing home cited for hundreds of violations.
The 20-story development, proposed for an abandoned city-owned lot between Madison and Park Aves. and 111th and 112th Sts., was to house the hotel, luxury condominiums, stores and a cultural center.
Publicly, the pointman for the project has been Fernando Salicrup, executive director of the Julia De Burgos Cultural Center, who dreamed of housing a museum on the first floor. Salicrup said that Fernandez had already spent $7 million on the planning phase. Salicrup added that he fears a different project will be approved without a cultural center or other benefits to the community.
Source: NY Daily News [DN]
Posted on June 8, 2007 by D. Bell