519 East 11th Street is a former tenement building in New York City's East Village. It has some architectural similarities to the nearby Eldridge Street Synagogue. [1] Following abandonment of the building in the 1970s, a group of tenants organized themselves and applied for funding through Federal and municipal programs to take ownership of the building in return repayment of a 30-year loan and for sweat equity work to rehabilitate the building. [2]
In 1974, a group purchased 519 East 11th Street from New York City for $100 per unit, under the Division of Alternative Management Program and with assistance from the Urban Homesteading Assistance Board, and received a $177,000 low-interest loan from the city to aid with repairs. [3] Tenants were able to become co-owners of the building by purchasing units at $500 from the group that purchased the building, or by putting in equivalent sweat equity. [4] The building included eleven units in a total of 10,410 square feet. [5]
They installed solar panels to assist with heating, in 1976. [4] Charles Copeland was hired by the tenants to oversee the project of installing solar heating. [6]
519 East 11th Street became famous for the windmill constructed on its roof, designed to provide power for the building. It had the phrase "El Movimiento de la Calle Once:" The 11th Street movement" written on its tail blade. [4] This windmill was constructed with the assistance of Windworks, a renewable energy company created with the support of Buckminster Fuller. [7]
Excess energy, beyond what was consumed by tenants in the building, was pushed back onto Con Edison's grid by causing the meter to run backwards; as a result, the building was sued by Con Edison. Under volunteer representation from Ramsey Clark, the Public Service Commissioner ruled in favor of the tenants. [3] This ruling played a key role in creation of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) in 1978. [4] [6] Ed Koch, and Robert and Lola Redford, visited the building to see the famed windmill. [3] [2] The MacNeil/Lehrer Report filmed an episode of its show on the roof of the building, to showcase the windmill. [8]
The windmill was credited with powering the building through the 1977 blackout, even while the surrounding neighborhood lost power. [6] The windmill only functioned for a few years, because it was difficult to maintain. [7]
519 East 11th Street is a former tenement building in New York City's East Village. It has some architectural similarities to the nearby Eldridge Street Synagogue. [1] Following abandonment of the building in the 1970s, a group of tenants organized themselves and applied for funding through Federal and municipal programs to take ownership of the building in return repayment of a 30-year loan and for sweat equity work to rehabilitate the building. [2]
In 1974, a group purchased 519 East 11th Street from New York City for $100 per unit, under the Division of Alternative Management Program and with assistance from the Urban Homesteading Assistance Board, and received a $177,000 low-interest loan from the city to aid with repairs. [3] Tenants were able to become co-owners of the building by purchasing units at $500 from the group that purchased the building, or by putting in equivalent sweat equity. [4] The building included eleven units in a total of 10,410 square feet. [5]
They installed solar panels to assist with heating, in 1976. [4] Charles Copeland was hired by the tenants to oversee the project of installing solar heating. [6]
519 East 11th Street became famous for the windmill constructed on its roof, designed to provide power for the building. It had the phrase "El Movimiento de la Calle Once:" The 11th Street movement" written on its tail blade. [4] This windmill was constructed with the assistance of Windworks, a renewable energy company created with the support of Buckminster Fuller. [7]
Excess energy, beyond what was consumed by tenants in the building, was pushed back onto Con Edison's grid by causing the meter to run backwards; as a result, the building was sued by Con Edison. Under volunteer representation from Ramsey Clark, the Public Service Commissioner ruled in favor of the tenants. [3] This ruling played a key role in creation of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) in 1978. [4] [6] Ed Koch, and Robert and Lola Redford, visited the building to see the famed windmill. [3] [2] The MacNeil/Lehrer Report filmed an episode of its show on the roof of the building, to showcase the windmill. [8]
The windmill was credited with powering the building through the 1977 blackout, even while the surrounding neighborhood lost power. [6] The windmill only functioned for a few years, because it was difficult to maintain. [7]