A long-vacant industrial site has been transformed into 542 permanent affordable homes on New York City’s Harlem River waterfront in the Bronx.
The 22-story Bronx Point development will also be home to The Hip Hop Museum. Opening in 2025, the unique addition will celebrate the music’s history and culture in the Bronx, its birthplace, with about 51,000 square feet of space over two levels.
While the museum will be a major new destination in the area, the housing, which opened in late 2023, is the heart of the development.
“The project evokes what the Bronx is about,” says Josue Sanchez, senior director at L+M Development Partners. “The Bronx is a place where inspired immigrants historically came and still come to build a better life and their version of the American dream. … Bronx Point is an extension of that spirit. In collaboration with the city of New York, we transformed vacant land into a thriving environment. It’s a project that serves the community, creating an environment where families can thrive and build to inspire future generations.”
Developers L+M and Type A Projects have provided a mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes for residents earning between 30% and 120% of the area median income, with 82 units reserved for people who were previously homeless. The team partnered with BronxWorks, a local community organization, to provide social services for the formerly homeless residents. BronxWorks will also operate an on-site early childhood center that serves over 50 children.
In addition, a new 2.8-acre waterfront public park and esplanade have been created to expand the community’s accessible outdoor space.
The $349 million development is the first affordable housing project to achieve Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines verification for excellence in waterfront design, the nation’s gold standard for resilient, ecologically sound, and accessible waterfront design.
"This achievement was due in large part to a mutual commitment by the development team and Community Board 4 to design open space that responded to the goals and priorities of the community,” says Annie Tirschwell, principal at Type A Projects. "… The space is beautiful and engaging, a model of accessibility, and already a favorite spot for the kids of the neighborhood."
