Groundbreaking for East Tremont Affordable and Supportive Housing and Expanded Health Center in the Bronx
Community Access, Mega Group and Community Healthcare Network marked the groundbreaking of 521 East Tremont Avenue in the East Tremont/Crotona neighborhood of the Bronx. The $162 million, 213-unit development will deliver a mix of affordable and supportive housing for income-eligible individuals and families, including people living with mental health concerns who have experienced homelessness, alongside ground-floor retail to support neighborhood vitality.
The project expands on-site health services by tripling the size of Community Healthcare Network’s Tremont Health Center to include 12 exam rooms and three dental suites in new medical space. CHN, a not-for-profit network of 14 federally qualified health centers that turns no patient away, will maintain Tremont services at 1880 Bathgate Avenue during construction.
Residents will have access to comprehensive on-site support such as counseling, group programming, crisis intervention, and connections to community-based health and mental health care. Additional services will support education, employment, and long-term well-being consistent with Community Access’ holistic, person-centered approach. Building amenities will include a community room, fitness center, computer and library space, laundry facilities, and bike storage.
“Community Access is proud to celebrate the groundbreaking of 521 East Tremont Avenue. We’re excited to work with our co-developers, Mega Group and Community Healthcare Network to bring 213 new affordable and supported homes to this neighborhood,” said Cal Hedigan, CEO of Community Access. “We are particularly excited to have a state-of-the- art health center as part of the development – this will be a boon to residents and to the neighborhood in general. At Community Access, we believe housing is a human right. Access to a stable, affordable home creates the conditions for people to pursue their goals, strengthen community connections, and move forward with dignity. This development represents an important step toward a more just and inclusive New York City.”
“We are grateful for our partners at HPD, Richman Housing Capital, TD Bank and KeyBank for making this vision a reality. Our team worked closely with the Community Board, Borough President and Council Member Feliz on this project, and we are eager to welcome residents into their new homes and bring back CHN bigger and better than ever,” said Emanuel Kokinakis, Principal, Mega Group Development.
“Stable housing is the foundation of health. At 521 East Tremont Avenue, we’re enabling hundreds of individuals and families to finally live in safe, affordable homes of their own. By pairing new housing with mental health services, we can provide care and stability to residents who have struggled for too long. This project is a model of delivering healthcare alongside housing, and we’re committed to bringing this model to more neighborhoods across our city,” said Patrick Love, Deputy Commissioner of Development, Housing Preservation and Development.
Local leaders framed the project as a coordinated investment in housing and health. “The groundbreaking at 521 East Tremont Avenue marks an important step toward providing access to safe, stable housing and the support services every Bronx resident deserves,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson.
Other public officials at the ceremony included Assembly Member Yudelka Tapia, Council Member Oswald Feliz, and Senator Luis R. Sepúlveda, who highlighted funding and the development’s community-centered approach.
For multifamily stakeholders, 521 East Tremont Avenue illustrates an integrated model of housing, supportive services and expanded healthcare capacity that addresses resident needs while contributing to neighborhood stability. Multifamily operators and developers will increasingly encounter and evaluate such models as part of affordable and supportive housing pipelines.