South Bronx Leaders Broke Ground on HEArts Center

The $44 million project will convert a long-vacant medical facility into a new community hub in Mott Haven.

Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Openings & Closings

South Bronx Leaders Broke Ground on HEArts Center

Live Poll

Do you support prioritizing community land trusts for developing vacant property in your local area?

Officials and residents celebrated the start of construction on the 26,805-square-foot HEArts Center in the South Bronx. The project transforms the site of the former Lincoln Recovery Center on 140th Street.

Why it matters

Local leaders successfully secured the site to ensure it remains a public resource rather than being absorbed into the private real estate market. The development aims to revitalize the property, which has been largely unused since 2010.

The HEArts Center project holds a total budget of $44 million for the 26,805-square-foot facility. The Mott Haven-Port Morris Community Land Trust has secured a 49-year sublease for the site.

The players

Mott Haven-Port Morris Community Land Trust

This local organization manages the sublease and leads the advocacy to keep the 140th Street site accessible to the public.

Alembic Corporation

This development firm is working alongside the land trust to manage the renovation and structural conversion of the historic medical center.

The details

The Mott Haven-Port Morris Community Land Trust partnered with developer Alembic Corporation to lead the conversion of the 1931 building. The planned facility will feature a 120-seat auditorium to serve South Bronx residents.

The building was originally constructed as the Mott Haven Medical Center in 1931.
The Lincoln Recovery Center closed at the location in 2010.
The Mott Haven-Port Morris Community Land Trust had its proposal for the site selected in 2023.
The official groundbreaking ceremony for the new center took place on September 23, 2026.
The finished HEArts Center is currently scheduled to open in 2028.

Market Landscape

This project represents a shift toward community-led development in New York City real estate, countering the trend of private privatization of public-use sites. It follows the 2010 closure of the Lincoln Recovery Center by reclaiming the infrastructure for public benefit.

Residents of the South Bronx will eventually gain access to a 120-seat auditorium and new community space in the heart of Mott Haven. The project guarantees that this historically public site remains out of the private real estate market for the next 49 years.

The takeaway

This development demonstrates how land trusts can successfully advocate for the preservation of historic sites for public utility. Community-focused projects like the HEArts Center help neighborhoods maintain stability against shifts in the private real estate market.