A new redevelopment project is set to transform the Grand Concourse Library in the Claremont area of the South Bronx. Kalel Companies and Settlement Housing Fund have been selected by city officials to lead the initiative, according to Crain’s. The plan involves renovating the existing library at 155 East 173rd Street and constructing The Heartwood, a mixed-use building that will include 113 affordable, rent-stabilized apartments above the library.
Some of these units will be designated for individuals who have previously experienced homelessness. Planned amenities for residents include outdoor terraces, community rooms, and a fitness center.
The updated library will cover over 17,000 square feet and offer meeting rooms, study areas, and expanded technological resources. During construction, the New York Public Library is seeking funding to operate a temporary branch.
The redevelopment aims for Passive House certification—a first for any branch in the public library system—indicating a commitment to environmentally friendly design.
While there is no estimated cost or timeline yet available due to pending land-use review procedures, this project is part of the broader Living Libraries initiative. This effort seeks to add housing and services within library properties across New York City; another site under consideration is Bensonhurst’s New Utrecht Library.
Settlement Housing Fund brings significant experience in affordable housing development in the Bronx and has managed more than 8,900 units since its founding over five decades ago. It also served as agent during Rockpoint Group and Brooksville Partners’ acquisition of Starrett City in 2021.
Kalel Companies has preserved or redeveloped over 4,000 homes citywide. Recently, it collaborated with Masjid Abdul Muhsi Khalifah mosque on a similar mixed-use project at 1166 Bedford Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant that will create senior housing units by replacing an existing three-story structure with a new twelve-story building.
