[4] 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.

[3] The 1199 Plaza has thus become a hybrid project, housing both middle-income and higher-income applicants, in addition to poorer residents.

[6] In 1963, the Ruberoid company sponsored a competition for the design of a subsidized housing project along an uninhabited strip of the East River.

[4] The project was envisioned by architect Thomas Hodne, the New York City Hall, and the Local 1199 union.

[1] At the outset, the project would consist of densely situated six story buildings with an open street grid.

[5] These structures would be joined by mid-rise units with a stepped-slope construction which extended toward the riverbank, giving the complexes a distinctive "U"-shape.

[5][4] The development would include storefronts, health and daycare centers, a meeting hall, a gym, and a pool.

[11] In the 1980s, crime in the area had risen by 41%, and by the year 1993, the 1199 Plaza was as stigmatized as any other housing project in East Harlem.