Park West Village Tenants Association Records

Call Number

TAM.333

Dates

1950-2022, inclusive

; 1980-2007, bulk

Creator

Park West Village Tenants Association (New York, N.Y.) (Role: Donor)

Armstrong, Winifred (Role: Donor)

DeMeio, Albina (Role: Donor)

Extent

22.5 Linear Feet in 21 record cartons, 3 manuscript boxes, and 1 folder in shared housing

Language of Materials

Materials are in English.

Abstract

The Park West Village Tenants Association Records document the organized activities of tenants in seven apartment buildings on New York City's Upper West Side. The apartments were built as part of a government-subsidized urban redevelopment plan in the late 1950s and consist of four buildings on Central Park West and three building on Columbus Avenue (372, 382, 392, 400 Central Park West, and 784, 788, 792 Columbus Avenue). The association preserves the rent stabilized, middle income status of residents in the buildings, to ensure the proper maintenance of the property, and protect the rights of individual tenants. The collection contains administrative files of the Park West Village Tenants Association (PWVTA), including board meeting notes, agendas, and membership lists. Other materials relate to the work of individual members of PWVTA, many of which held leadership positions within the organization. The collection also contains ephemera produced by the PWVTA, which includes flyers for meetings and events, tenant association newsletters, and other ephemeral more generally related to tenants' rights.

Historical Note

The Park West Village Tenants Association represents the tenants of seven apartment buildings on New York City's Upper West Side (372, 382, 392, 400 Central Park West, and 784, 788, 792 Columbus Avenue), built as part of a government-subsidized urban redevelopment plan in the late 1950s. The four Central Park West buildings have become condominiums. The Association seeks to preserve the rent stabilized, middle income status of the three remaining rental buildings, to ensure the proper maintenance of the property, and protect the rights of individual tenants of the buildings, and the tenants as a whole.

Arrangement

Documents in this collection are grouped roughly by subject or by creator, and described at the box-level. A brief inventory has been created to provide an overview of the contents of each box.

Scope and Contents

The Park West Village Tenants Association Records document the organized activities of tenants in the seven buildings of the Park West Village on Manhattan's Upper West Side. The collection contains administrative files of the Park West Village Tenants Association (PWVTA), including board meeting notes, agendas, and membership lists. Materials in this collection document PWVTA's negotiations with building owners and real estate companies regarding various housing issues between the late 1980s and the early 1990s. Topics they address include discussions over the construction of a road through the complex in 1993, the conversion to condominiums, and a battle over rent reductions and major capital improvements that lasted from 1993 to 2005. Several boxes in the collection relate to the work of individual members of PWVTA, many of which held leadership positions within the organization. The collection also contains ephemera produced by the PWVTA, which includes flyers for meetings and events, tenant association newsletters, and other ephemeral more generally related to tenants' rights.

Two boxes of materials donated in 2016 include documents related to the work of Park West Village historian and former PWVTA president Winifred Armstrong. These materials date from the late 1980s to 2000 and consist of tenant association newsletters (1993-1997), flyers, pamphlets on tenants' rights, correspondence with real estate agencies, tenant association memoranda, and membership and contact lists from the late 1980s. Other materials include notes, correspondence, memos and bulletins, and internal documents related to the conversion of buildings at 392 and 400 Central Park West into condominiums, campaigns in support of rent controls, and tenant complaints to building managers in the 1980s.

Subjects

Organizations

Park West Village Tenants Association (New York, N.Y.)

People

Armstrong, Winifred (Role: Donor); DeMeio, Albina (Role: Donor)

Topics

Tenants' associations -- New York (State) -- New York.; Landlord and tenant -- New York (N.Y.); Housing policy -- New York (State) -- New York.; Housing -- New York (N.Y.); Rent control -- New York (State) -- New York

Places

Upper West Side (New York, N.Y.)

Donors

Armstrong, Winifred; DeMeio, Albina; Park West Village Tenants Association (New York, N.Y.)

Conditions Governing Access

Materials are open without restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Any rights (including copyright and related rights to publicity and privacy) held by the Park West Village Tenants Association, the creator of this collection, were transferred to New York University in 2004 by the Park West Village Tenants Association. Permission to publish or reproduce materials in this collection must be secured from the Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archive. Please contact tamiment.wagner@nyu.edu.

Preferred Citation

Identification of item, date; Park West Village Tenants Association Records; TAM 333; box number; folder number; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.

Location of Materials

Materials are stored offsite and advance notice is required for use. Please request materials at least two business days prior to your research visit to coordinate access.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated by Albina DeMeio and Winifred Armstrong on behalf of the Park West Village Tenants Association in 2004; additional materials were donated by the Park West Village Tenants Association in 2010, and by Winifred Armstrong in 2016, January 2020, and June 2022. The accession numbers associated with this collection are 2004.034, 2010.017, 2016.017, 2016.047, 2020.016, and 2023.056.

Custodial History

The archived website was migrated from the California Digital Library's Web Archiving Service to the Internet Archive's Archive-It Service in November 2015. The link to California Digital Library was removed in October 2017.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Due to technical or privacy issues, archived websites may not be exact copies of the original website at the time of the web crawl. Certain file types will not be captured dependent on how they are embedded in the site. Other parts of websites that the crawler has difficulty capturing includes Javascript, streaming content, database-driven content, and highly interactive content. Full-Text searches of archived websites are available at https://archive-it.org/organizations/567.

Collection processed by

Tamiment staff

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-20 16:30:03 -0400.

Using Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Language: Finding aid written in English

Processing Information

Materials in this collection were originally described with brief box-level inventories, which acted as box titles. In 2016, box titles were revised and inventories were moved into file-level scope and content notes. One box of Winifred Armstrong's files was also added to the collection in early 2016 and described a the box level. In October 2016 and additional box related to tenant issues in the 1980s and the conversion of 392 and 400 Central Park West was added to the collection and described at the box level. In February 2020, an accretion of materials related to the parking facilities for tenants was rehoused in archival boxes, and incorporated into the collection as Boxes 22-24.

The archived website was added to the collection in 2014.

Revisions to this Guide

February 2016: Edited by Heather Mulliner to include Winifred Armstrong files from 2016 accretion.

October 2016: Edited by Heather Mulliner to include materials from Spring 2016 accretion

February 2020: Updated by Rachel Searcy to reflect 2020 accretion

July 2023: Updated by Rachel Searcy to reflect 2023 accretion

Repository

Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives

View Inventory

Proposed Changes and Rent Reduction/Major Capital Investment Battle, 1990s-2005, inclusive

Box: 1 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Scope and Content Note

Contains letters dated July 13 and August 11, 1993 concerning a roadway to be constructed on the property including buildings 372, 382, 392 and 400 Central Park West (CPW); A renters guide prepared by PWVTA in September 1992; Copies of covenants concerning the building of Park West Village; The Black Book and other papers pertaining to the Condominium Offering Plan for 392 CPW; The detailed history of the rent reduction and MCI battle between the tenants of 784, 788 and 792 Columbus Ave which began in 1993 and was finally settled in 2005.

Executive Board Minutes and Agendas and Early PWVTA Documents, 1980s-1990s, inclusive

Box: 2 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Scope and Content Note

Contains Executive Board minutes and agendas 1991-1992; Legal material re: Balconies in 400 Central Park West (CPW); Fences Fight in CPW buildings in the early 1990s; PWVTA Membership lists 1993-1995, all seven buildings, and letters re conversion; CPW 400 Awning 1995; Early conversion material: brad brewwer argument, survey 5/28/1984, Court Case 372/382; Newsletters 1982-1988; Election 1991; Harassment casev (ambriose) 400 CPW; Roy Harris eviction case, mostly from 792 and 400 in 2000.

Newsletters, 1990s, inclusive

Box: 3 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Scope and Content Note

Contains issues of Red Tailed Hawk 1994-1996; Fence issue, CPW buildings; Newsletters - assorted files for 372 CPW and other issues in the 1990s

Fliers and Newsletters; Board Meeting Notes, undated

Box: 4 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Scope and Content Note

Contains fliers and newsletters; Some board meeting notes and agendas (Note: many duplicates)

General Files, 1990s, inclusive

Box: 5 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Scope and Content Note

Contains general records - mainly 372 Central Park West

Intercom Files: 784, 788, 792 Columbus Ave, 1990s, inclusive

Box: 6 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Scope and Content Note

Contains intercom Files -784, 788, 792 Columbus Ave; Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) Rent Reduction Petitions, Complaints, Legal Documents; Tenant Window Depositions; Newsletters, Fliers

Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) Legal Documents, 1990s, inclusive

Box: 7 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Scope and Content Note

Contains Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) legal documents: Complaints, PAR Exhibits, Security Remands re 784, 788, 792 Columbus Ave; Robert J. Anderson's Comments

Legal Materials, 1994-2000, inclusive

Box: 8 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Scope and Content Note

Contains legal materials: Security Reduction; Window MCI's

Legal Materials, 1994-2000, inclusive

Box: 9 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Scope and Content Note

Contains legal materials: Screening Rent Reductions, Window MCI at 792 Columbus Ave

Bess Mitchell Files, 1980s-1990s, inclusive

Box: 10 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Scope and Content Note

Bess Mitchell Files, including Harassment Case, Board Meetings, mostly from 400 CPW

Conversion of 392 and 400 Central Park West, 1989-2000, inclusive

Box: 11 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Scope and Content Note

Conversion of 392/400 CPW - including correspondence with Attorney General's Office 1989-1992; Vivian Dee Files (President) 2000-2002

Vivian Dee Files and Florence Wagener Files, 2000-2004, inclusive

Box: 12 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Scope and Content Note

Vivian Dee Files (President) 2000-2002; Overcharge Cases /Division of Housing and Community Renewal Settlement from 784-788-792 Columbus Ave (Florence Wagener Files): Aptaker, Lisa; Anderson, Linda; Anthony, Peter; Fackler, Peter H. 2000-2004

Florence Wagener Files and Division of Housing and Community Renewal Settlement, 2000-2004, inclusive

Box: 13 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Scope and Content Note

Overcharge Cases from 784-788-792 Columbus Ave (Florence Wagener Files)/ Division of Housing and Community Renewal Settlement : Feldman, Jason; Fleck, Richard; Kantor, Molly; Glowski, Matt; Lammers, Brent; Nack, Jessica; Nakaniski, Yuki; Pace, William; Purdy, Colin; Rose, Lisa; Resnick, Adam; Santora, Frank; Sorotzkin, Steven; Stepanchek, Tom; Squillacioti, Kathleen; Velyvis, Peter; Williamson, John; Zuckerman, John; Wangh, Anne

Consolidated DHCR Overcharge Cases and Dan Dunbar Files, 1996-2007, inclusive

Box: 14 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Scope and Content Note

Consolidated DHCR Overcharge Cases (Note: DHCR Final Order is confidential - owner payments may not be quoted but Rent Rollback can be) 2002-2005; Dan Dunbar Files: administrative documents, newsletters, etc. 1997-2007

Access Restrictions

DHCR Final Order is confidential - owner payments may not be quoted but Rent Rollback can be

Dan Dunbar Files and Legal Files, 1988, 1996-2007, inclusive

Box: 15 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Scope and Content Note

Dan Dunbar Files: administrative documents, newsletters, etc. 1996-2007; 400 Central Park West Black Book and 792 Complaint Forms; Legal Files - mainly from Dean Hefner: File 1. Diminution of Services, Comp Agreement drafts, Rent Strike, File 2. MCI 1992-2002, File 3. DHCR Consolidated Overcharge Case 2005; 400 Central Park West Roof Repair and Rent Decrease Case from Winifred Armstrong 198

Legal Files: Early and Current Cases, 1950s-2006, inclusive

Box: 16 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Scope and Content Note

Legal Files: Early and Current Cases: File 4. Property Agreements, 1950s, Certificates of Occupancy of 784, 788, 792, including parking; Harassment Case 1987, Challenge to Condo Case 1984, Hardship Case 1979; File 5 injunction 2006; File 6 MCI 2004-2006; Legal Files from Sylvia Friedrich

Parking Case: DHCR Decision, 1989, inclusive

Box: 17 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Winifred Armstrong Files (Editor of PWVTA Newsletter) and Vicki Lawrence Papers, 1980s-1990s, inclusive

Box: 18 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Extent

18 Linear Feet (18 boxes)

Scope and Content Note

Administrative documents, fliers, correspondence; Winifred Armstrong Files (Editor of PWVTA Newsletter); Vicki Lawrence Papers, includes Condo Case 1984

Tenants Issues, 1978-2006, inclusive

Box: 19 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Scope and Content Note

Proposed road thru PWV at 99th St., 1993; Disputed Fence & Awning, 1993; Land Use, 2005-6; Proposed welcome pamphlet, 1996; Playground, 1988-2001; Apartment registrations, 2003; Rent overcharge, 2001-2004; Hardship case, 1978

Winifred Armstrong Files, 1985-2000, inclusive

Box: 20 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Tenant Issues and Conversion of 392 and 400 Central Park West, 1984-1990, inclusive

Box: 21 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Scope and Contents

This box contains correspondence, bulletins, newsletters, and meeting notes related to a variety of tenant concers in the late 1980s. Thse concerns include security, aspestos, membership, laundry. A large portion of the materials in this box also include bulletins, correspondence and complaints related to the conversion of the buildings at 392 and 400 Central Park West into condominiums.

Parking Case, 2008-2013, inclusive

Box: 22, Folder: 1-7 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Scope and Contents

This box contains materials documenting the PWVTA 2011-2014 parking case, including drawings, maps, correspondence, photographs of parking garages, legal filings, and applications forwork permits.

Parking Case, 2008-2013, inclusive

Box: 23, Folder: 1-7 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Scope and Contents

This box contains materials documenting the PWVTA 2011-2014 parking case, including diagrams, petitions, correspondence, legal filings, and public hearing minutes.

Parking Case, 2008-2013, inclusive

Box: 24, Folder: 1-4 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Scope and Contents

This box contains materials documenting the PWVTA 2011-2014 parking case, including petitions, memoranda, contracts, correspondence, legal filings, and summaries of the case.

Press Release: Winifred Armstrong "Woman of Distinction" Award, 2022

Box: Shared Tamiment 165, Folder: 13 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Archived Website, Mar 13, 2012-ongoing, inclusive

Scope and Content Note

Park West Village Tenants' Association, first active in 1974, is a voluntary, non-profit, membership organization whose purposes are to protect the rights and welfare of tenants in Park West Village (PWV); keep PWV tenants informed of their rights; represent PWVTA members in negotiations with Park West managements; represent the concerns of PWVTA members to outside organizations and to elected officials and government agencies; and support and participate in campaigns by various organizations; to expand tenant rights; strengthen rent regulations; preserve affordable housing programs; and protect the ability of low-income and moderate-income tenants to remain in their homes. They are affiliated with Tenants and Neighbors and the Metropolitan Council on Housing. The website contains resources, a renters' guide, photos, and history.

Externally hosted content

Park West Village Tenants' Association
https://wayback.archive-it.org/6347/*/http://www.pwvta.org/