Police guard West 70th Street between Broadway and Columbus as Stratford Arms’ current residents head to a new shelter.
New York City’s response to the constant influx of migrants arriving on buses continues to dominate our local news, and today’s story about single-adult asylum-seeking migrants being moved from a former student dormitory to “dormitory style tents” on Randall’s Island is the latest move by the city to get a handle on this ever-evolving crisis.
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On Tuesday, Council Member Gale Brewer spoke at a Community Board 7 meeting to announce the latest move of asylum seekers in our area. She announced that the migrants at the Stratford Arms Hotel at 117 West 70th Street, whom she referred to as “the 500 individuals,” as well as the migrants at the Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center (HERRCs) at 207 West 85th Street, would be moved this week to the newly opened tent-style shelters at Randall’s Island – and that the block of the Stratford Arms would be closed Wednesday through Friday. These migrants just arrived in June.
Next week, new migrant families will be moved into both Upper West Side buildings. A representative from Council Member Brewer’s office told us this has nothing to do with the recent arrest at the Stratford Arms, but that this change was already in the works to prioritize private rooms for families over single adults. The 500 migrants at the Stratford Arms The building had previously housed students from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AMDA).
Brewer also announced the “community conversation” that took place Wednesday at P.S. 191 (300 West 61st Street), and the wide-ranging conversation (transcript here) demonstrated that the overall migrant issue is extremely contentious and isn’t close to being fully resolved anytime soon. “We’re getting 10,000 migrants a month” Mayor Eric Adams said, which he also announced “will destroy New York City.”
We visited the Stratford Arms Hotel and found a major police presence with traffic cones on both sides of the street blocking vehicle traffic. A guard inside the hotel would not permit us to enter or speak to anyone leaving the building.
You have an unfinished sentence in the middle of your article :).
The mayor saying migrants will destroy new york city is a great way to push hate. There are other ways Mr. Mayor. Think about it.
wondering just how many immigrants can survive without manmade islands lining the city? There is NO WHERE ELSE in the USA that has a little more
space than the Apple?
If you want to learn more about what the Police are doing to maintain safety around the Stratford Arms, come to the 20th Precinct Sector B Build the Block meeting on 9/13. For information, send an email buildtheblocksectorb@gmail.com
West 70th has been so clean and quiet today.
Mayor Adams created this crisis and now is crying for help.
I am a democrat who will be voting for candidates who support stricter borders and local leaders who will protect the upper west side. My child has been pushed to the back of the c classroom for migrant children who have not been vaccinated. We need to maintain decorum and not let our home become a lawless city!
My parents were immigrants and they came into the system legally. Illegal border crossings are harmful to our society, they do not follow rules or respect our policies. They are expecting free handouts. I will also be voting for leaders who will be tougher on these policies. We do not want undocumented illegals immigrants in our neighborhood. They need to be processed legally.