Frederick Douglass Houses Explained

Frederick Douglass Houses should not be confused with Frederick Douglass National Historic Site.

Frederick Douglass Houses
Settlement Type:	NYCHA property
Coordinates:	40.7976°N -73.9647°W
Subdivision Type:	Country
Subdivision Name:	United States
Subdivision Type1:	State
Subdivision Type2:	City
Subdivision Type3:	Borough
Subdivision Name1:	New York
Subdivision Name2:	New York City
Subdivision Name3:	Manhattan
Unit Pref:	Imperial
Area Footnotes:	^[1]
Area Total Sq Mi:	0.019
Population Total:	2,672^[2]
Population Density Km2:	auto
Postal Code Type:	ZIP codes
Postal Code:	10025
Area Code:	212, 332, 646, and 917
Blank Name:	Average household income

The Frederick Douglass Houses are a public housing project located in the New York City borough of Manhattan, in the Manhattan Valley neighborhood of Upper West Side, named for abolitionist and civil rights pioneer Frederick Douglass. The actual buildings are located between 100th Street and 104th Street, to the east of Amsterdam Avenue and the west of Manhattan Avenue. The complex is owned and operated by the New York City Housing Authority.^[3]

Development

The development was approved by the New York City Planning Commission on February 7, 1952, as a low-rent housing project to be erected on a 22.5acres site, a "superblock" bounded by Manhattan Avenue, Amsterdam Avenue and West 100th and 104th Streets.^[4] The original portion of the complex consists of 17 buildings – 5, 9, 12, 17, 18, and 20 stories tall – completed on May 31, 1958, on a 21.76acres site. The development includes 2,056 apartments housing some 4,588 residents. The Frederick Douglass Addition, completed on June 30, 1965, is a 16-story building with 306 residents on 0.55acres on Amsterdam Avenue between West 102nd and West 103rd Streets.

The Frederick Douglass Playground covers 1.945acres, on Amsterdam Avenue between 100th and 102nd Streets. Land for the playground was acquired by the city in 1954, and the playground was opened on September 10, 1958. The New York City Board of Estimate transferred the property from the New York City Housing Authority to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation in August 1962, which still is responsible for management of the park.^[5]

In 2012, the Frederick Douglass Houses farm was launched through a partnership between NYCHA and Project EATS on the former site of the tennis courts.^[6]

The flagship of Hostelling International USA in the United States is on the Frederick Douglass Houses superblock, in a landmark building designed by noted architect Richard Morris Hunt in the 19th century. This popular hostel occupies the entire east blockfront of Amsterdam Avenue between 103rd and 104th Streets.

Notable residents

• David Freeman Wooley (Born 1960), director, producer, author and entrepreneur
• Reggie Carter (1957– 1999), NBA Player, New York Knicks
• Stephan Dweck (Born 1960), humorist and entertainment attorney
• Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs (born 1953), actor
• Monteria Ivey (1960–2001), host of PBS game show Think Twice^[7]
• Kelis (born 1979), soul singer
• Mekhi Phifer (born 1974), actor

See also

• New York City Housing Authority
• List of New York City Housing Authority properties

References

http://www1.nyc.gov/assets/nycha/downloads/pdf/DouglassI&II.pdfhttp://www1.nyc.gov/assets/nycha/downloads/pdf/Douglass%20Addition.pdf

Notes and References

1. Web site: Frederick Douglass Houses Area. November 7, 2019.
2. Web site: Frederick Douglass Houses Population.
3. http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycha/html/developments/mandouglass.shtml Douglass Houses
4. https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0E1EF8395E107A93C5A91789D85F468585F9&scp=1&sq=%22Frederick+Douglass+Houses%22&st=p "PLAN BOARD BACKS DOUGLASS HOUSES; Huge Manhattantown Project Opposed by Area Residents as Too Costly for Them"
5. http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/historical_signs/hs_historical_sign.php?id=7948 Frederick Douglass Playground
6. Web site: Project EATS Frederick Douglass Houses Farm — Project EATS. projecteats.org. 2019-07-01.
7. Martin, Douglas. "Monteria Ivey, 41, Humorist, Author and Radio Personality", The New York Times, December 26, 2001. Accessed January 29, 2008. "Monteria Henry Ivey was born in Manhattan on May 6, 1960, and spent his early years in Suffolk, Va., with his grandmother.... He and Mr. Dweck lived at the Frederick Douglass Houses, a city housing project on West 102nd Street in Manhattan."