1199 Plaza
| 1199 Plaza | |
|---|---|
The 1199 Plaza, as seen from across the East River, in the early 1970s | |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | Mitchell–Lama Housing Program housing cooperative |
| Location | First Avenue in East Harlem, New York City |
| Coordinates | 40°47′28″N 73°56′16″W / 40.79111°N 73.93778°W |
| Construction started | 1970 |
| Opened | 1974 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Thomas Hodne and Herb Baldwin |
| Main contractor | The Hodne/Stageberg Partners, Inc. |
The 1199 Plaza is a housing cooperative in East Harlem.
Located on First Avenue, on the western bank of the East River, the 1199 Plaza consists of four 31-story towers, joined by mid-rise units which extend toward the riverbank. 1199 Plaza opened in 1974, as a low-to-middle income housing complex.
The 1199 Plaza traces its origin to the 1199 union, which consisted mainly of female lower-income hospital workers. The 1199 union members wanted housing that was safe, affordable, and socially inclusive. Hodne/Stageberg Partners, Inc served as the architects of the project, while Ruberoid supplied building materials.
In the 1990s, the 1199 Plaza began offering housing for non-HUD applicants. A new title, East River Landing, was adopted. The 1199 Plaza has thus become a hybrid project, housing both middle-income and higher-income applicants, in addition to poorer residents.
The 1199 Plaza has been described as a "city within a city", owing to its sheer scale and unique design. Several prominent figures in the entertainment industry have resided at the 1199, including Damon Dash, founder of Roc-a-Fella records, Cam'ron, and Shari Bryant.