MADELEINE F. POLAYES

POLAYES--Madeleine F., longtime Upper West Side community leader and activist, died at her home on February 25. A woman of exceptional capability, her life was dedicated to improving the lives of others. Madeleine, a teacher and guidance counselor, ran an experimental program for autistic children (1953-1954), and worked with Kings County Hospital to create a program to integrate them into the mainstream school system. From 1955-1963 she ran the Madeleine School on the Upper West Side, and from 1963-1992 was a teacher and guidance counselor in the public school system. In 1975, she transferred to P.S. 7, located in a Brooklyn neighborhood afflicted with high crime rates and drug abuse. Madeleine took a majority of the worst cases of child abuse to court, where she rarely lost, and thereby safeguarded the lives of many children. She retired in 1992. Nor were her activities and achievements confined to education. Madeleine was equally successful as an affordable housing developer and manager. From 1958-l965, she served on the Mayor's Committee on Urban Renewal. In 1960, she founded the Stryckers' Bay Neighborhood Council, and organized the Stryckers' Bay Housing Corporation, the developer of a Mitchell-Lama cooperative that opened in 1965. In 1969, she built Turin House, a moderate-income cooperative. In 1981, when a proposal for a massive development of the Penn Yards was announced, Madeleine organized the Coalition Against Lincoln West (CALW), which successfully defeated the plan for high-rise towers facing the Hudson River from 59th to 72nd Streets. CALW later expanded its scope of interest and became the Coalition for a Liveable West Side, which researches and studies many of the issues challenging the area, among them, overdevelopment, the environment, and traffic and pedestrian safety. In 1986, with development accelerating, she commissioned a Columbia University Urban Studies program to research the need for a master plan for development of the Upper West Side Based on the findings, Community Board 7 asked the City Planning Commission to request proposals for such a plan, but the CPC did not act. Madeleine served as president of the Federation of West Side Block Associations, and as a director and president of the Broadway Malls Association, which beautifies the malls with trees and flowers, many funded by neighborhood businesses. Madeleine Polayes was born on September 3, 1926. She earned a B.A. at the University of Connecticut, an M.A. at Columbia University, and a Ph.D. at Bank Street College. She was predeceased by her husband, Sillik Polayes, an attorney and activist. She is survived by her daughter, Debbie P. Christensen (Alan) and granddaughters Rebecca and Janet, and her son, Jonathan (Joan) and grandsons Jason and Justin. The funeral service will be held at the Riverside Chapel, 76 Street and Amsterdam Avenue, at 9:30 Friday morning. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Crohn's Disease Foundation, 380 Park Avenue South, NY 10016, or the Coalition for a Livable West Side, P.O. Box 230078 NY 10023.