Two for Tuesday

Schools Gone Condo? First Harlem's churches, now its schools? The New York Post reports that a former public school in East Harlem is part of a development site that could support an apartment project of approximately 65,000 square feet. Shimon Shkury of Massey Knakal is offering 2269-75 First Ave. at 117th Street for $14.5 million.

According to the Post, the site includes the five-story, Beaux Arts-façade and an adjacent empty lot. The current owner, an unidentified investor, has sketched out several designs for the new project, including the one shown above that was done by BKSK Architects.

Rangel Supports Angry Renters: The New York Daily News reports that Representative Charles Rangel (D-Harlem) joined forces last night with a parade of angry renters complaining of being pushed around by the Pinnacle Group LLC, a real estate company owning several buildings in the neighborhood.

"What you're doing here is stopping a broader conspiracy to take our community away from us," Rangel said to a group of about 300 who gathered last night to collect testimony and documentation relating to investigations into alleged Pinnacle wrongdoing.

Tenants say Pinnacle is overcharging them, dragging them into court for no reason, failing to make repairs, violating their succession rights and warehousing empty apartments to get higher rents.

"This isn't just Pinnacle. Developers and speculators have been removing tenants illegally from apartments which they return to the market at ridiculous rents," Rangel said.