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Residents, families, elected officials and community partners gathered at Rangel Houses earlier this month to celebrate a major milestone: the Harlem development’s 75th anniversary.
Opened in 1951 as Colonial Houses, Rangel Houses today includes 984 apartments across eight buildings and is home to nearly 2,000 residents. For its 75th anniversary, the celebration focused not simply on the development’s history, but on the people who have made that history.
Local elected officials and representatives joined the Rangel community to mark the occasion and recognize residents for their longstanding contributions to the development and the broader Harlem community. The celebration included honors from New York City Council Member Yusef Salaam, State Sen. Cordell Cleare, Manhattan Deputy Borough President Miesha Smith, and the offices of Assembly Members Al Taylor and Jordan Wright.
Among those receiving special recognition were Marian Woods-Saintcye, 101, and Irene McKay, 98, two longtime residents who have called Rangel home since 1951 — the year the development first opened.
Woods-Saintcye moved to the newly opened development with her husband, World War II veteran Anthony Woods Sr., and raised her family there. McKay moved into Rangel in August 1951 with her husband, George, and has remained in the same apartment for 75 years, raising four children there.
During Saturday’s celebration, Woods-Saintcye accepted honors on behalf of both women, recognizing their extraordinary 75-year connection to Rangel and the Harlem community.
The celebration also recognized residents and members of the Rangel Houses Resident Association Board for their service, leadership and contributions to the community. Among those honored was Bernadette McNear, President of the Rangel Houses Resident Association, whose leadership and advocacy have helped carry forward a long tradition of resident involvement at Rangel.
The milestone comes as Rangel prepares for its next chapter. Harlem-based Genesis Companies is partnering with NYCHA and residents on a comprehensive rehabilitation of the development that will preserve affordable homes and bring significant improvements to apartments, buildings and shared spaces.
The anniversary celebration took place amid the annual Rangel Houses Family Day, giving the milestone the feel of a true community celebration. Residents and families gathered throughout the day for music, dancing and other festivities, including a marching band and celebratory procession through the development.
Family Day brought together longtime residents, younger generations, neighbors and community leaders, offering an opportunity to celebrate together while reflecting on the generations that came before them, from Rangel’s first residents in 1951 to the families who call it home today.
