New York, NY - Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, city officials and development partners broke ground on Timbale Terrace, a 100% affordable, mixed-use development that will deliver 341 affordable homes and a new community arts center to East Harlem.
The project marks a major milestone for the City's commitment to deeply affordable housing and to building on underused public land for public good.
Timbale Terrace will transform a former NYPD parking lot into permanently affordable housing, community space and replacement parking. The development will include 97 homes reserved for formerly homeless New Yorkers through the NYC 15/15 program, including 30 units for young people aging out of foster care. On-site wraparound services focused on health, education and employment will be provided by Lantern Organization.
The development will also house the new Casa Belongó Music and Arts Center, a more than 20,000-square-foot cultural space for music education, performance and community programming. The center will serve as a permanent home for Belongó and as a cultural anchor in East Harlem.
"Affordable housing is the foundation of a rich, diverse city where all New Yorkers can live with dignity. Timbale Terrace shows what's possible when we use public land to meet public need. By building deeply affordable homes across the five boroughs, we are making New York City a place families can afford to stay and thrive," said Mamdani.
"Timbale Terrace exemplifies the best of our affordable housing efforts: strengthening neighborhoods, enlivening the street, creating cultural space, and creating affordable housing for the New Yorkers who need it most. This groundbreaking is a major step forward for East Harlem and shows what is possible when government is working with and for communities. I am looking forward to working with partners across the city to create even more affordable housing on city-owned sites in the years to come," said Leila Bozorg, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning.
"Timbale Terrace will deliver 341 affordable homes to East Harlem, nearly a third of which will be set aside for formerly homeless New Yorkers and youth aging out of foster care," said New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC) President Eric Enderlin. "HDC is proud to support this development and grateful to our partners for their commitment to expanding much-needed affordable housing, supportive services, and vibrant cultural resources in this community."
Located at East 118th Street and Park Avenue, Timbale Terrace will activate the Park Avenue commercial corridor with ground-floor uses and incorporate sustainable design features. The project was identified through the East Harlem Neighborhood Rezoning plan approved in 2017. The City's Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) released a competitive request for proposals for the site in 2019, and Mega Development LLC and Lantern Organization were designated in 2021, with Belongó as a cultural partner.
The development is supported by city subsidy, Housing Development Corporation bonds, the Department of Cultural Affairs, former Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, the New York City Council and state and private partners.
"Timbale Terrace is a blueprint for what is possible in addressing our city's affordability crisis," said New York City Comptroller Mark Levine. "From the very beginning, this was a project that centered community voices, and aims to deliver a rich cultural and economic boost through the programs it prioritizes, including the Casa Belongó Music and Arts Center. I am proud to see it break ground today, and look forward to its completion in the near future."
"I'm thrilled to join Mayor Mamdani, HPD, HDC, DCLA, and our committed partners in breaking ground on Timbale Terrace, a shining example of 100% affordable housing combined with vital supportive services and a new cultural cornerstone for East Harlem," said Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal. "I commend Mayor Mamdani's leadership on truly affordable housing, our city agencies, Lantern Organization, Belongó, Mega Development LLC, Goldman Sachs, and state partners for delivering on the East Harlem Neighborhood Rezoning Plan. Timbale Terrace points the way to the inclusive, sustainable future our borough deserves."
"We are proud to deliver a transformative development that will not only provide high-quality, affordable homes for hundreds of families, but also create a vibrant cultural hub for the community," said Emanuel Kokinakis, Development Principal, Mega Group. "Timbale Terrace in partnership with Belongo, with its state-of-the-art performance facility and educational spaces, stands as a testament to the generational impact we hope to achieve on all our projects."
"At Lantern Organization, we believe that every person and every neighborhood deserves a chance to grow. For almost thirty years, in the face of trauma and health challenges, Lantern's residents have proven that a better future is possible. They have shown that when we invest in each other, when we believe in the possibility of growth, we can change individual lives and strengthen our communities," said Dan Kent, President and CEO, Lantern Organization. "Their courage and perseverance inspired Timbale Terrace, and it inspires us every day to fight for homes and neighborhoods where all people can thrive. We are forever grateful to the City of New York and our project partners for making this incredible project possible."
"For nearly 20 years, Belongó has served as an unwavering and passionate steward of Afro-Latin jazz, enriching our cultural landscape and deepening our appreciation for this unique art form of the Americas. As a key component of Timbale Terrace, the New York State Council on the Arts is proud to support the construction of this new performance hall, further strengthening Harlem's rich cultural bounty, amplifying Belongó's extraordinary programming, and ensuring the joy and power of Afro-Latin jazz continues to enrich this community and all New Yorkers for generations to come," said New York State Council on the Arts Executive Director Erika Mallin.
"Casa Belongó marks a historic moment for East Harlem and New York City. It is about creating a permanent home where music, education, and community can live together, rooted in the neighborhood that gave birth to Latin jazz. Timbale Terrace allows us to honor that history while investing in the future, ensuring that artists, students, and families have access to culture, learning, and belonging for generations to come," said Marietta Ulacia, Executive Director, Belongó.
"Timbale Terrace and Casa Belongó deliver the trifecta of affordable housing, a cultural hub, and pathways to opportunity for generations to take root and grow," said Asahi Pompey, global head of Corporate Engagement and Chair of the Urban Investment Group at Goldman Sachs. "This development anchors families in a vibrant neighborhood where community and economic prosperity go hand in hand. Together, they will build lasting legacy in East Harlem."
