From_II Meat_NN1 Shop_NN1 to_II Mixed-Use_NP1 Complex_NN1 For_IF years_NNT2 ,_, Luis_NP1 Perez_NP1 dreamed_VVD of_IO expanding_VVG his_APPGE busy_JJ Casablanca_NP1 Meat_NN1 Market_NN1 in_II East_ND1 Harlem_NP1 ,_, where_CS for_IF generations_NN2 customers_NN2 from_II as_RG far_RR away_RL as_CSA Pennsylvania_NP1 have_VH0 shopped_VVN for_IF blood_NN1 pudding_NN1 and_CC fried_JJ pork_NN1 skins_NN2 ._. 
The_AT butcher_NN1 shop_NN1 had_VHD long_RR ago_RA outgrown_JJ its_APPGE cramped_JJ space_NN1 on_II 110th_MD Street_NN1 between_II Lexington_NP1 Avenue_NNL1 and_CC the_AT elevated_JJ train_NN1 tracks_NN2 on_II Park_NP1 Avenue_NNL1 ._. 
For_IF years_NNT2 ,_, Luis_NP1 Perez_NP1 dreamed_VVD of_IO expanding_VVG his_APPGE busy_JJ Casablanca_NP1 Meat_NN1 Market_NN1 in_II East_ND1 Harlem_NP1 ,_, where_CS for_IF generations_NN2 customers_NN2 from_II as_RG far_RR away_RL as_CSA Pennsylvania_NP1 have_VH0 shopped_VVN for_IF blood_NN1 pudding_NN1 and_CC fried_JJ pork_NN1 skins_NN2 ._. 
The_AT butcher_NN1 shop_NN1 had_VHD long_RR ago_RA outgrown_JJ its_APPGE cramped_JJ space_NN1 on_II 110th_MD Street_NN1 between_II Lexington_NP1 Avenue_NNL1 and_CC the_AT elevated_JJ train_NN1 tracks_NN2 on_II Park_NP1 Avenue_NNL1 ._. 
After_II buying_VVG his_APPGE first_MD building_NN1 ,_, on_II Lexington_NP1 Avenue_NNL1 ,_, Mr._NNB Perez_NP1 learned_VVD that_CST making_VVG money_NN1 from_II real_JJ estate_NN1 was_VBDZ comparatively_RR easy_JJ ,_, he_PPHS1 said_VVD ._. 
The_AT crack_NN1 cocaine_NN1 epidemic_NN1 was_VBDZ at_II its_APPGE height_NN1 but_CCB Mr._NNB Perez_NP1 said_VVD that_CST growing_VVG up_RP in_II a_AT1 tough_JJ neighborhood_NN1 without_IW a_AT1 father_NN1 's_GE protection_NN1 --_NN1 his_APPGE father_NN1 died_VVD when_RRQ he_PPHS1 was_VBDZ 6_MC --_NN1 had_VHD taught_VVN him_PPHO1 to_TO shrug_VVI off_II danger_NN1 ._. 
"_" Mind_VV0 your_APPGE own_DA business_NN1 ,_, and_CC nobody_PN1 will_VM bother_VVI you_PPY ,_, "_" he_PPHS1 said_VVD ._. 
Today_RT ,_, he_PPHS1 owns_VVZ five_MC other_JJ properties_NN2 in_II the_AT neighborhood_NN1 ._. 
With_IW DDM_NP1 as_CSA his_APPGE development_NN1 consultant_NN1 ,_, he_PPHS1 assembled_VVD the_AT site_NN1 ,_, dealt_VVN with_IW multiple_JJ city_NN1 agencies_NN2 (_( because_CS his_PPGE was_VBDZ a_AT1 mixed-use_JJ project_NN1 )_) ,_, navigated_VVD the_AT land-use_NN1 approval_NN1 process_NN1 and_CC got_VVD financing_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ included_VVD $6.8_NNU million_NNO in_II other_JJ city_NN1 and_CC federal_JJ subsidies_NN2 ._. 
Three_MC of_IO the_AT lots_PN were_VBDR city-owned_JJ ,_, and_CC DDM_NP1 helped_VVD Mr._NNB Perez_NP1 buy_VVI them_PPHO2 using_VVG proceeds_NN2 from_II the_AT sale_NN1 of_IO nearby_JJ vacant_JJ land_NN1 ._. 
The_AT fourth_MD lot_NN1 had_VHD once_RR been_VBN privately_RR owned_VVN ,_, but_CCB no_PN121 one_PN122 had_VHD paid_VVN the_AT taxes_NN2 for_IF years_NNT2 ._. 
Mr._NNB Perez_NP1 was_VBDZ able_JK to_TO get_VVI that_DD1 last_MD piece_NN1 through_II a_AT1 legal_JJ process_NN1 by_II which_DDQ he_PPHS1 paid_VVD taxes_NN2 and_CC other_JJ money_NN1 owed_VVN to_II the_AT city_NN1 ._. 
Mr._NNB Perez_NP1 selected_JJ SLCE_NN1 Architects_NN2 for_IF his_APPGE project_NN1 because_CS he_PPHS1 admired_VVD its_APPGE design_NN1 for_IF a_AT1 federally_RR subsidized_VVD senior_JJ housing_NN1 development_NN1 on_II 111th_MD Street_NN1 ,_, Casita_NP1 Maria_NP1 ._. 
Saky_JJ Yakas_NP2 ,_, an_AT1 SLCE_NN1 partner_NN1 ,_, said_VVD he_PPHS1 had_VHD been_VBN able_JK to_TO give_VVI the_AT Casablanca_NP1 a_AT1 more_RGR interesting_JJ articulated_JJ facade_NN1 because_CS more_DAR money_NN1 was_VBDZ available_JJ ._. 
Though_CS they_PPHS2 lack_VV0 dishwashers_NN2 ,_, the_AT apartments_NN2 have_VH0 granite_NN1 kitchen_NN1 counters_NN2 and_CC tiled_JJ bathrooms_NN2 ,_, features_VVZ that_CST are_VBR rare_JJ in_II income-restricted_JJ housing_NN1 ,_, Ms._NNB DeMartini-Day_NP1 said_VVD ._. 
Mr._NNB Perez_NP1 said_VVD that_CST if_CS he_PPHS1 had_VHD had_VHN his_APPGE way_NN1 ,_, all_DB the_AT apartments_NN2 at_II the_AT Casablanca_NP1 would_VM have_VHI been_VBN studios_NN2 intended_VVN for_IF young_JJ people_NN raised_VVN in_II East_ND1 Harlem_NP1 ._. 
"_" We_PPIS2 are_VBR losing_VVG our_APPGE youth_NN1 ,_, "_" he_PPHS1 said_VVD ._. 
Taking_VVG an_AT1 active_JJ role_NN1 in_II recruiting_VVG his_APPGE tenants_NN2 ,_, Mr._NNB Perez_NP1 found_VVD the_AT pizzeria_NN1 through_II his_APPGE accountant_NN1 ,_, who_PNQS teamed_VVD up_RP with_IW a_AT1 restaurateur_NN1 from_II Franklin_NP1 Square_NNL1 ,_, on_II Long_JJ Island_NNL1 ,_, Nino_NP1 Di_NP1 Giovanni_NP1 ._. 
Mr._NNB Di_NP1 Giovanni_NP1 had_VHD never_RR been_VBN to_II Harlem_NP1 ,_, but_CCB he_PPHS1 said_VVD he_PPHS1 was_VBDZ won_VVN over_RP by_II the_AT neighborhood_NN1 's_GE rich_JJ mix_NN1 of_IO ethnic_JJ groups_NN2 ._. 
Now_RT he_PPHS1 is_VBZ serving_VVG pizza_NN1 made_VVN with_IW fresh_JJ mozzarella_NN1 and_CC baked_VVN in_II an_AT1 oven_NN1 imported_VVN from_II Italy_NP1 to_II a_AT1 new_JJ ,_, and_CC appreciative_JJ ,_, clientele_NN1 ._. 
"_" What_DDQ I_PPIS1 'm_VBM getting_VVG from_II the_AT folks_NN2 in_II the_AT neighborhood_NN1 is_VBZ that_CST they_PPHS2 're_VBR not_XX used_VVN to_II home-cooked_JJ meals_NN2 ,_, "_" Mr._NNB Di_NP1 Giovanni_NP1 said_VVD ._. 
Luz_NP1 Olea_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 co-owner_NN1 of_IO the_AT greengrocer_NN1 ,_, said_VVD business_NN1 was_VBDZ slow_JJ at_RR21 first_RR22 but_CCB has_VHZ been_VBN improving_VVG as_CSA customers_NN2 of_IO the_AT meat_NN1 market_NN1 discover_VV0 her_APPGE store_NN1 and_CC spread_VV0 the_AT word_NN1 ._. 
"_" Little_RR by_II little_JJ ,_, it_PPH1 's_VBZ getting_VVG better_RRR ,_, "_" she_PPHS1 said_VVD ._. 
