Mayor Giuliani yesterday dropped his opposition to Bill Clinton opening his office in a Harlem building, after the city got a break on its lease and security glitches were worked out.
Ending a week of wrangling, Giuliani announced a deal with the owners of the building at 55 W. 125th St. during a City Hall press conference, where he was joined in a love-fest by Rep. Charles Rangel (D-Harlem) and the property owners.
Clinton spokeswoman Julia Payne said the former president was elated about the agreement and hopes to move in by July.
“He looks forward to being the newest neighbor in Harlem, and he can’t wait to begin his work there,” Payne said.
Under the agreement, the city’s Administration for Children’s Services will shift its planned executive offices from the 14th floor at the top story to the 6th floor in return for a $5-per-square-foot reduction in the lease cost and two free months of rent.
That will save the city about $250,000, city officials said.
ACS also plans to use four other floors for its field office for treating abused and neglected children. The agency expects to move in later this year once renovations are completed.
Giuliani said the city has received assurances that security restrictions from Clinton’s use of the building will not inhibit ACS.
Arrangements have been worked out concerning the ex-president’s use of the elevators, entrances and exits, press conferences, and other issues to ensure Clinton is protected but kids can receive the services they need without delay.
Giuliani, the building owners and Rangel praised one another for their cooperation – after days of growing tension and finger-pointing over how to resolve the matter.
“Without the mayor’s cooperation, it just would not have happened,” said Rangel, a frequent Giuliani critic who couldn’t help noting it had been ages since he’d been in the City Hall press-conference room.
The agreement allows the owners, Cogswell Realty Group, to begin negotiating the lease for Clinton’s office on the 14th floor with the federal General Services Administration. The president’s rental cost will be about $290,000 a year, sources told The Post.
Despite the good will, confusion continued over how Clinton – who was forced to abandon his first choice, Carnegie Hall Tower, after criticism it was too expensive at $811,000 annually – was offered office space in Harlem that the city had already leased in December.
“That’s a good question,” said Rangel.