NYCHA’s Comp Mod Team Opens Engagement Office at St. Nicholas Houses

On September 28, NYCHA’s Comprehensive Modernization Department (Comp Mod) opened a new engagement office at Saint Nicholas Houses in Manhattan. This follows the opening of the first engagement office at Staten Island’s Todt Hill Houses in February. 

The Comp Mod program oversees and utilizes capital funding to deliver comprehensive apartment and building rehabilitation focused on abating mold, lead, and asbestos; kitchen and bathroom renovations; and elevator replacement. This streamlined renovation approach brings improved quality of life to residents while reducing construction costs and limiting inconvenience to residents.   

Resident Association leaders, property management, and State Senator Cordell Cleare attended a reception ceremony ahead of the Saint Nicholas engagement office opening.  

“We want every resident to be informed and to have a platform to voice their opinions,” said Artenkah Carswell, Comp Mod’s Engagement Manager. “With Saint Nicholas Houses being the largest site for Comp Mod, the engagement office is even more crucial for facilitating transparent communication with its large resident community. We know that it works based on our success at Todt Hill.”  

“The addition of this engagement office in our very own Saint Nicholas Houses is a significant step toward fostering trust and collaboration between NYCHA and residents,” said Leslie Johnson, President of the Saint Nicholas Resident Association. “Residents no longer have to go out of their way to seek information or express their thoughts about the upcoming changes – it’s right here at our doorstep. This accessibility not only provides us with instant clarity on matters but also ensures that our voices, concerns, and suggestions are at the forefront of discussions. It’s a commitment to transparency and partnership that we appreciate.”  

The Comp Mod work at Saint Nicholas Houses, which is expected to begin in 2024, will include kitchen and bathroom renovations; hazardous materials abatement; and upgrades or replacements related to ventilation, plumbing, electrical and heating systems, elevators, windows and facades, and pest and waste management.  

Residents interested in learning more or sharing their feedback are encouraged to visit the engagement office, which is located in the Saint Nicholas Houses property management office.  

The office will be open to residents on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Fridays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. To make appointments, Saint Nicholas Houses residents can call 212-306-6768 or scan the QR code on flyers that were distributed at their development (in the first week since the engagement office opened, residents scheduled more than 30 appointments using this QR code).

Featured photo: Comp Mod Team with Resident Association Leadership and State Senator Cordell Cleare (third from left)