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Historic New York apartment complex Manhattan Plaza has reopened their highly-coveted, oft-lengthy waiting lists for select studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments to prospective tenants eager to stake out residence in the heart of Hell’s Kitchen.
Renters looking to secure affordable housing in a neighborhood where the monthly median rent is nearly $4K may apply for a spot in the 46-floor, 1,689-unit building on W43rd Street between 9th and 10th Avenue through one of several affordable housing programs.
The Mitchell Lama Program, a New York State program established in 1955 to ensure the availability of middle income housing, allows applicants who earn under $163K the chance to apply for a $1,950/month studio, applicants who earn under $193K can apply for a $2,300/month one-bedroom, and applicants who earn under $224K can apply for a $2,679/month two-bedroom unit. Additional waiting list spots are available through the Manhattan Plaza Section 8 programs, where eligible residents are not required to pay more than 40 percent of total income for housing. Manhattan Plaza’s Section 8 programs include subsidized rents for Performing Artist and Theater Support professionals, residents of Manhattan Community Board 4 (MCB4) who are over 18, and residents of MCB4 who are over 62.
The value of a Manhattan Plaza apartment is not lost on New Yorkers, leading to a dearth of available units and excruciatingly slow turnover. Said Manhattan Plaza Tenants Association President Aleta LaFargue: “Once people move in, it’s rare that they leave. There are people I know that were on the waiting list for 10 years.” LaFargue herself is a lifelong resident of the complex, adding: “I’ve lived here for my entire life — 44 years. I’m almost as old as the building.”

Completed in 1977, Manhattan Plaza was originally conceived as a luxury and middle-income complex when New York’s financial crisis left the city unable to fulfill the entirety of its $95 million commitment to the project. In order to make up a $30 million deficit, the city of New York applied for Federal Section 8 funding. After complaints from nearby tenants unwilling to welcome Section 8 residents into the neighborhood, real estate developer and former Manhattan Plaza owner Irving Fischer (along with his team) proposed the idea of encouraging professionals from the performing arts industry, many of whom already qualified for Section 8’s financial requirements, to apply. When the complex opened, 70% of apartments were reserved for arts workers who qualified for subsidized housing, 15% were allocated for elderly and disabled residents already living in the immediate area, and 15% were designated for residents already living in subsidized housing in the neighborhood. Demand far outpaced supply and there were 3,000 names on the waiting list within the first year.
This intersection of Manhattan Plaza’s resident communities would go on to cement its longstanding identity as a crossroads of New Yorkers from all walks of life. Financial security for performers seeking housing and the building’s closeness to the Theater District led to a cornucopia of famous and soon-to-be-famous tenants, including Al Pacino, James Earl Jones, Angela Lansbury, Tennessee Williams, Alicia Keys, Patrick Dempsey, Alan Menken, and Samuel L Jackson (who worked as Manhattan Plaza’s first security guard). Manhattan Plaza and its creative tenant population would even be the impetus for one of America’s most well-known sitcoms when tenant Larry David mined his experience living next to an eccentric comedian named Kenny Kramer into the concept for Seinfeld. The complex’s rich artist legacy would later be archived through the documentary Miracle on 42nd Street, produced in part by Manhattan Plaza resident and casting director Mary Jo Slater.
Manhattan Plaza’s early years would also coincide with the onset of the AIDS crisis in New York, leading to a share of its residents ostracized and suffering with little familial or governmental assistance. Reverend Rodney Kirk, the complex’s first Director of Development, created the Manhattan Plaza AIDS Project as a system of support for tenants battling the virus (Kirk would be posthumously honored for his work with AIDS patients and his advocacy for the elderly, with a venue named after him on Theater Row).
LaFargue also recalls the complex at the time of the crisis, noting that its legacy of advocacy has lived on. “We have a lot of services for the elderly — a lot of the elderly people living here don’t have a lot of family. We had a huge population of people with AIDS during the epidemic, and a lot of those people did not have support — this building became their support system and we took care of each other. It was a really special thing,” said Lafargue.
Today, the plaza remains a beacon of the Hell’s Kitchen community, still known for its wide-ranging supportive and cultural programming. LaFargue, who has served as President of the Tenants Association since 2016, got involved with the organization to advocate for additional children’s programming and quickly found herself invested in the future of the plaza’s distinct financial ecosystem. “After Trump was elected, nobody knew what would happen. We felt that at any minute they could vote out Section 8 Housing — a lot of people were really scared about what could happen to our subsidy,” said LaFargue. “We felt like we needed real advocates in the event that it happened. So I ran for a seat and became their secretary” before eventually being elected president.
Under LaFargue’s leadership, the plaza has maintained its financial subsidy and supportive resident programming (as well as a productive working relationship with the building’s newest owners, The Related Companies). Long-standing traditions like the yearly tenant street fair and regular talent shows as well as newer celebrations and year-round children’s programming are returning after COVID-related pauses with the help of tenant fundraising and support from building management.
The complex’s long waitlist is a testament to the need for more housing with the resources and security bestowed on Manhattan Plaza citywide, said LaFargue: “I ran for City Council last year and that was one of the issues that I was really passionate about. We have this great situation here and I just didn’t see why it couldn’t be replicated in other places.” Tenants fortunate enough to gain a place at Manhattan Plaza know how precious the opportunity is in an increasingly hostile renter’s market. As LaFargue said of the complex, “I think having people from all different economic levels and cultures living here is an incredible thing. People are very well protected here, and it’s a good place to grow old, because you have a strong community around you.”
I love manhattan plaza my cousin live there and it’s always clean and safe.
Nice article, well done!!
And the link?????
It’s in the third paragraph. https://w42st.info/ManhattanPlazaApplication
Who can afford these when they live on ssi month
Trump wanted it to be luxury housing.
It’s a great place to live. If I didn’t live here I’d have to move out of the city.
Hi I am seeking a studio or one bedroom
Details in the story and here… https://w42st.info/ManhattanPlazaApplication
My first grown up job at 18 in 1981 was in the MP health club at the tenth Ave corner- still one of my favorite work places.
When Manhattan Plaza opened in the 70’s it was built with an affordable parking garage. I was able to drive to work from the Bronx in 1976 and 1977 and pay only $3.00 all day. Later on as I no longer worked in the area I would park there when I came to Manhattan in the evenings. Just a few years ago I parked there and what I always liked the most about it is that it’s a secure self parking garage.
Hi …how much is it now?
Read the article!
My Son lives there, a former stagehand, (over 30 yrs.) and loves it!! I visit from N.C. every yr. I feel very safe & comfortable in the area. There is no where like “N.Y.City”
I LIVE WITH MY HANDICAPPED SON AND HIS LICENSED TRAINED SERVICE DOG. I AM A RETIRED TEACHER. HOW CAN I APPLY?
Details in the story and here… https://w42st.info/ManhattanPlazaApplication
I applied! I didn’t see anywhere on the application to put that my spouse is a set carpenter.
To all these Developers: i can middle income people apply for a decent affordable housing in NYC when the rents and guidelines are too high to qualify. Either the guidelines are below or high. The average person Making $40,000 through $80,000 cannot be able to pay for an apt costing $2,000 a month. This is ridiculous and insane. One good example: my son is a bright an educated 31 year old who is working full time earning $41,000 but can’t find a decent one bedroom room nor studio in Manhattan or queens because the rents are too dam expensive. Rents are going for $2,000 every where you go. What a disgrace. This will definitely pushed alot of people out of NYC. Even in run down poor neighborhoods the average rents going for $1,849.00 a month. The housing connect guidelines needs to be changed for decent New Yorkers who can’t afford these high rents. Rents in NYC are too high for the working class. How about other expense? food, clothes, Health insurance, college tuition, where people work to pay an additional bills besides their rents. The housing market is just not fair. It needs to be fixed. The word Affordable is not for everyone to qualify for affordable housing. How can a middle class person raise kids when the rents are going shy high to work and live. Something must be done. Thank you and hope there will be some demands on these ridiculous rents who will pushed people out of NYC.
Please let me know if/how to put my name on your waiting list. I am retired from the Federal government, a playwright and live in hell’s kitchen. My husband and I are interested in a studio. Thank you.
Details are in the story. Check out this link here. https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.activebuilding.com/property-8459/Messages/6567a060-6ffa-4cab-99e9-8169533a8f9d/44081_AMNY.pdf?1647632391
I live here and love it. It has afforded me the chance to follow my dreams and not be worried about rent anymore. Since coming here my acting life has gotten so great
I am confused after reading the application. Is it correct that a single
person who is in the arts cannot apply
for a studio apt because there’s a
minimum of three occupants required
under performing artists category?
Hahaha – I’m surprised at how many times you had to respond with the link that is already in the article. Don’t people read?
I would like to look into applying for a one bedroom apt at Manhattan Plaza. I’ve worked as an a tress in NYC for many years, and am now 77 and much has slowed down for me. I have so many friends living in the complex.
Please help me get the process started. Cass
Cass
Get out of New York. There are many many places in the U.S. where affordable housing IS affordable, like $500.00 a month rent for a large studio and yes, the housing is not in the boondocks but in progressive minded cities with multiple cultural attractions like performing arts, sports, and beautiful parks. Don’t be so self centered and narrowminded, people!
Long time ago I put an application for the apartment on Manhattan plaza how can I check my application Please