In the Claremont section of the Bronx, local officials, housing advocates and neighbors turned out this week to cut the ribbon on Baez Place, an eight-story affordable and supportive housing complex that aims to be a serious stabilizing force for the neighborhood.
The new building, named for local property owner Luis Baez, delivers 154 affordable apartments for people exiting homelessness, frail or formerly homeless seniors and other income-eligible households. It comes with shared perks like community rooms and a rooftop greenhouse, all wrapped into what officials describe as an $86 million investment in long-term housing stability for the borough.
What Baez Place Delivers
According to New York State Homes and Community Renewal, Baez Place officially opened on March 11 and brings 154 affordable apartments online, 86 of which will receive on-site supportive services.
The state announcement casts the project as part of broader efforts to expand permanent supportive housing, and notes that it fits into the governor’s larger housing plan. Homes and Community Renewal also highlights the building’s rooftop community greenhouse, billed as a way to boost residents’ access to fresh food and health supports.
Services On Site And Who Moves In
Community Access, which developed Baez Place and will run services in the building, says tenants will have access to individual counseling, self-help groups, employment referrals and medication management.
Those supports sit alongside a commercial kitchen, a fitness room and a combined library and computer space. Project materials describe dedicated units for people with mental health concerns and for frail or formerly homeless seniors, and note that many apartments include free broadband access.
Design, Financing And Location
ESKW Architects designed the building at 334 East 176th Street. Early coverage describes a mix of studios and multi-bedroom units organized around communal spaces and urban agriculture elements, with the rooftop greenhouse as a visual and programmatic centerpiece.
Reporting and project releases indicate that capital financing was assembled from tax-exempt bonds, federal low-income housing tax credits and state subsidies, together covering an approximately $86 million development budget. Site plans and renderings emphasize street-level community space along with the rooftop greenhouse as key pieces of resident programming.
Namesake And Local Reaction
Project documents and reporting note that the site was named Baez Place to honor the late Luis Baez, a Dominican immigrant and Bronx property owner whose land the nonprofit purchased for the development, according to Community Access materials.
Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson joined the ribbon cutting and shared photos and remarks from the opening on her social channels. Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson also posted about Baez Place and its housing-focused mission.
Why It Matters
Officials are framing Baez Place as one building in a larger push to expand affordable and supportive housing where the need is sharpest. Homes and Community Renewal notes that the project lines up with multi-year state investments to create and preserve affordable homes.
Community Access positions Baez Place as an extension of its portfolio of supportive housing developments in New York City, underscoring a model that pairs permanent homes with on-site services. Developers and officials say lease-up and service rollout are set to continue over the coming weeks.
