FromcitystreetstoCityHallandtoMidtowncorporateoffices,SavingStuyvesantTownistheincredibletruestoryofhowonemiddleclasscommunitydefeatedthelargestresidentialrealestatedealinAmericanhistory.LifetimeStuyTownresidentandformerCityCouncilmanDanGarodnickrecountshowhisneighborsstooduptomammothrealestateinterestsandsuccessfullyfoughttosavetheirhomes,deliveringNewYorkCity’sbiggest-everaffordablehousingpreservationwin.In2006,Garodnickfoundhimselfengagedinanunexpectedbattle.StuyvesantTownwasbuiltforWorldWarIIveteransbyMetLife,inpartnershipwiththeCity.Twogenerationsremoved,MetLifeannouncedthatitwouldsellStuyTowntothehighestbidder.Garodnickandhisneighborssprangintoaction.BattlelinesformedwithrealestatetitanslikeTishmanSpeyerandBlackRockfacinganorganizedcoalitionofresidents,whomadeacompetingbidtobuythepropertythemselves.Tripped-upbyanover-leverageddeal,thecollapseoftheAmericanhousingmarket,andanovellawsuitbroughtbytenants,therealestateinterestscollapsed,andthetenantsstoodreadytotakechargeandshapethefutureoftheircommunity.Theresultwasaonce-in-a-generationwinfortenantsandanextraordinaryoutcomeformiddle-classNewYorkers.Garodnick’scolorfulandheartfeltaccountofthiscrucialmomentinNewYorkCityhistoryshowshowcreativeproblemsolving,determination,andbruteforcepoliticscanbemarshalledforthepublicgood.Thenine-yearstruggletosaveStuyvesantTownbytheseresidentsisaninspirationtoeveryonewhoiscommittedtoensuringthatNewYorkremainsalivable,affordable,andeconomicallydiversecity.
