Nightingale Tries to Boot Old Ladies Out on the Street
In 2007 the Upper East Side all-girls prep Nightingale-Bamford School on East 92nd Street purchased the adjacent building for $9 million. The school has a $52.8 million endowment and asks for $33,000 in annual tuition from their students. They describe themselves as: “Founded by two bold, visionary entrepreneurs in the same year that women won the right to vote, the Nightingale-Bamford School has helped generations of girls to become strong, independent, confident women.”
According to the New York Post, Nightingale is claiming two elderly women in those neighboring rent-controlled apartments are stalling their expansion plans. Nightingale-Bamford is looking to boot two of the oldest generation out on their granny fannies. Sarah Faunce, 80, and Bertha Fabrizio, 78 have been residents for close to 40 years.
Sarah Faunce is one of several residents being forced out of their apartments by a Nightingale School expansion
“They are harassing two elderly women and trying to drive them out of their homes. I really believe they’re heartless. They knew these elderly people lived there when they bought the building. I think it’s terrible,” says lawyer David Rozenholc.
Currently, Faunce pays $1,043 a month for a one-bedroom apartment and Fabrizio pays $574 for a studio. In their defense, the school says it has done everything legally and should be allowed to take over the building to make room for their planned $5.3 million renovation that includes new classrooms, science labs, and counseling space.
“The applications for eviction of the two tenants are being processed in the normal course of events to ensure that all statutory and regulatory requirements are met,” said Division of Housing and Community Renewal spokesman James Plastiras.
The school has already been pushing residents out. Marina Kimble, 87, moved out after living there for 36 years. She was initially offered $1,700 and little help to find a new home. Once she hired a lawyer she was fairly compensated for her new neighborhood studio.
“I loved the place. I wasn’t about to move. They sent me to such horrible places,” said Kimble.
The school says a state agency has been allowing Faunce and Fabrizio to file multiple inquiries about the school’s plans which the school claims have been “merely for the purposes of delay.” The school is asking a judge to force a rule and provide a definitive date for their application to take over the apartment building.
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