Tough economy or not, the Bronx is quietly booming, and another vital addition to the borough will be appearing within the next few years.
Urban Health Plan announced on Thursday, April 14 that a new six-story, 54,000 square-foot community health clinic will be opening in the Bronx by 2016.
UHP, a network of federally-qualified community health centers in the Bronx, will be expanding their operations with a new building that is slated to open in an vacant lot on 1054 Southern Boulevard in Longwood.
The new health center will complement the nearby El Nuevo San Juan on 1065 Southern Boulevard. According to Urban Health Plan president and CEO Paloma Hernandez, the $55.5 million project will nearly double the amount of annual primary care visits to UHP facilities from 223,000, to approximately 400,000.
“The planned expansion of our facilities and services will enable us to provide quality, affordable care to at least 20,000 new patients,” Hernandez said. “It will make it possible for us to continue to impact and improve the health outcomes of our community.”
The upcoming expansion will be the fifth UHP site in the Bronx and will be funded mostly by Enterprise Community Investment, Inc., Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group, Nonprofit Finance Fund and Stonehenge Community Development.
UHP is not wasting anytime and will begin the construction next month. Once complete, the health center will create approximately 110 full-time jobs and 250 direct construction positions.
“We are proud to finance this monumental project for Urban Health Plan,” said Alicia Glen, managing director and head of the Urban Investment Group at Goldman Sachs. “The new facility will be a major contributor to the ongoing revitalization of the Bronx by expanding the availability and range of critical healthcare services for its residents.”
UHP health centers offer a wide range of primary and specialty medical care for men, women and children. Medical professionals specialize in obstetrics, gynecology, adolescent medicine, adult primary care, dental health, urgent care, pediatrics and mental health.
Although UHP also has a location in Corona, Queens, the medical facilities are primarily stationed in the Bronx, due to higher rates of diabetes, asthma, obesity, AIDS, HIV and mental health problems compared to the other boroughs of New York City.
“Access to health care is a critical need in these communities,” said Norah McVeigh, managing director of Nonprofit Finance Fund. Approximately $12 million of the $55 million project cost was made possible by Facilities Improvement Program Grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration of the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
