The long-vacant Lincoln Recovery Center in Mott Haven just got a serious jump-start toward its second act. The planned, community-owned HEArts Center has secured a $1.79 million award meant to ramp up arts programming and outfit performance space. Organizers say the infusion keeps them on track for construction to begin this fall and for the project to wrap by 2028, finally bringing rehearsal, classroom and wellness rooms within walking distance for neighborhood youth and local arts groups.
Local organizers are treating the award as proof that years of neighborhood pressure are paying off. Matthew Shore, director of planning and development at South Bronx Unite, told News12 the revamped building will offer “an auditorium that would allow the program to expand.” The News12 report identifies the money as coming from the New York State Council on the Arts.
South Bronx Unite and the Mott Haven–Port Morris Community Land Stewards are leading the conversion of the 22,750-square-foot former clinic at 349 E. 140th Street. As laid out by South Bronx Unite, the vision is a community-owned hub for health, education and the arts, with room for studios, classrooms and tenant organizations. The group’s project timeline traces years of organizing to reclaim the shuttered facility for neighborhood use.
Public dollars have been flowing in. The state Office of Environmental Justice awarded $2.5 million last December to support the HEArts buildout, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Empire State Development planning documents have also folded the site into their financing plans. The design team and partners say the project has cleared key approvals and selected EW Howell as general contractor, as noted by BKSK Architects. Combined state and city commitments now total well into the double-digit millions, although organizers say they still need to close a funding gap.
Timeline and next steps
Construction is scheduled to start this fall, with a target completion date in 2028, as reported by News12. Before heavy machinery shows up, partners say they have to tackle hazardous-materials remediation, secure final permits and lock in tenant organizations that will run arts and health programs. Community meetings and design workshops are expected to continue, giving residents more chances to weigh in on the center’s programming and daily schedule.
What the $1.79M will pay for
Organizers say the New York State Council on the Arts award is focused on expanding arts programming and equipping performance and learning spaces for young people. The HEArts plan from South Bronx Unite calls for an auditorium, rehearsal rooms, studios and classrooms inside the building. The state arts funding is expected to help keep those spaces affordable, subsidizing programs so local groups are not priced out.
Why this matters
Supporters say the HEArts Center is about more than art classes. They frame it as a health and economic anchor in a community that has long dealt with heavy pollution and a short supply of community resources. The DEC’s recent environmental justice award and coverage underscore the site’s role in broader efforts to address local health disparities and back community-led remediation. Advocates argue that combining arts, wellness services and job training in a single, community-owned building will help keep both culture and opportunity rooted in the South Bronx.
What to watch
In the coming months, neighbors can look for permit filings and a detailed construction schedule from the development and design team, who say they will publicize major milestones as remediation and fundraising hit their marks. Architect BKSK Architects and project partners have flagged tenant selection and public engagement sessions as near-term priorities, with more announcements expected soon. If the fall start date sticks, residents could see scaffolding and construction crews at 349 E. 140th Street before year’s end.
