Several elected officials and residents in Harlem recently held a rally against the planned conversion of a protected residential brownstone at 730 St. Nicholas Ave. for use as a drug treatment facility.
Argus Community, Inc. was beginning work last Wednesday on physical renovations to the property to convert it for use as an outpatient methadone clinic. The work was apparently slated to begin despite the fact that neither the city government nor the relevant state agency had yet given approval for the site’s use as such a facility.
Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer, Assemblymember Al Taylor and State Sen. Brian Benjamin are among the elected officials against the project. Residents say the neighborhood is already saturated with transitional housing and drug treatment facilities.
“Our community has more than our fair share of these kinds of facilities. We believe people need help, and we are happy they want to provide it, but why is it that when these sort of things happen uptown there’s a lack of communication and respect that you do not see in other neighborhoods?” said Benjamin. “The community has spoken, and I am asking that our city and state health officials listen and not recommend that this project go forward.”
Community Board 9 Chair Padmore John said residents understand there should be a place where people battling drug addiction should be able to to turn to, more should be considered into where it’s placed.
“While Manhattan Community Board No. 9 acknowledges that resources are needed within Community District 9 to combat the insurgent heroin and opioid addiction, we are adamant about finding the appropriate location and provider who will ensure safety and appropriate accessibility for their clients and the surrounding community,” he said.